A Healthy Diet | One Step at a Time

I've written quite a bit about exercise and the best way to burn fat with intervals, and I've even mentioned that exercise alone probably will not allow you to achieve your maximum results... the thing I haven't told you about is how do you get started on a healthier diet, what are key points to focus on, and how do you turn it into a lifestyle.  

It is essential that you first understand that changing your current eating habits to eating in a healthier manner isn't all about strict nutrition values, starving yourself, or avoiding food that you love.  It isn't even all about counting every calorie (although this works really well for some people to stay on track) and cutting your calories in half.  I try to encourage individuals that living this healthy lifestyle is about feeling great, increasing your energy levels, and stabilizing your moods.  

Another important piece is to realize that for maintenance of a healthy diet, you should plan changes in small steps instead of drastic change.  Take one thing at a time and turn it into a habit before turning to the next key point.  A person is almost always more successful when focusing on changing one thing at a time.

Here are some key points to start your lifestyle change:

1.  Simplify - Don't worry about counting calories all the time.  Focus on adding freshness and variety in your diet.  Try to create more meals from scratch at home, with continuing to eat what you love, but look for ways you can make subsitutions and use fresh ingredients.  It should not be hard for your diet to gradually become healthy and delicious.  The simply take away point?  Opt for fresh ingredients and prepare from scratch.  Stay away from processed foods as much as possible.

2.  Make small changes, one step at a time - It is important to realize that you didn't put extra weight on overnight and you sure in hell won't lose it overnight either.  Try to stay motivated ALL THE TIME.  Changing everything all at once will make sticking to your plan very difficult and may even bring you to cheat or give up.  Where to start?  Add a vegetable or salad to every dinner, try making greens half of your plate.  Or use olive oil in replacement for butter; ground turkey in place of ground beef... starting to get the idea?

3.  Adopt a healthy attitude towards food - Many people suffer from using food as an emotional escape.  Let me tell you... it's not!  A vacation will do that for you... not food!  Emotional eating will just leave you feeling guiltier and more bloated than before.  What to do?  Start by creating a food journal, documenting every time you eat.  What was your mood like?  Did you eat alone or with someone else?  What influenced you to eat (were you actually hungry or was it a craving)?  Consider if you have an unhealthy attachment to food or if you have a healthy relationship with your dinner plate.

4.  Practice Moderation, every small step will make an improvement - Don't get frustrated and eliminate all types of foods you love.  Although some people can give up certain foods completely, most of us are likely to "go crazy" and will end up binging and losing control.  Allow yourself one dessert a week such as every Friday night or one meal with red meat.  It will also allow you to enjoy and look forward to those foods so much more.

5.  Focus on portion control - I find that there is a big misconception that people need to starve themselves in order to lose weight.  In fact, this isn't true at all.  Think about it, how many times do you leave the dinner table feeling bloated and so full that you can hardly make it over to the couch?  Just reducing the amount of food you consume will allow you to feel more comfortable after meals and you will still get the nutrients you need.  To get started, drink a glass of water before every meal, use a smaller plate, dish up at the counter/stove and then take to the table (to make sure you don't take 2nd's without thinking, and ensure that you add more vegetables at each meal.

Remember to be positive.  Every time that you make a healthy choice for you body is a win for yourself.  Allow yourself a treat every once in a while so you don't feel like you are "deprived of all good things".  Focus on becoming a healthier individual in the long run.  And finally, if you have to think of an end to your diet, it probably isn't going to work for you.  This is about living a healthier lifestyle... FOR LIFE!

oxox, Em