There is a huge line between eating healthily and being on a diet. There's also probably a big line between what you enjoy eating, and what you should eat. You need to learn to strike a balance. The main reason that most diets fail, is that the dieter is not enjoying the food they are "allowed" to eat, and they are having withdrawal symptoms from the foods that they are most comfortable with. Comfort and enjoyment are the two most important things about why we eat.
Restrictive diets CAN work in the short term, but are not usually a great long term option for most people. Instead why not try following a few of these guidelines:
- Eat what you want, but in smaller quantity.
- Eat what you want, but choose a lower calorie option.
- Eat what you want, but less often.
These are some pretty simple ways to reduce the amount of calories you are having each day. And you will find that one of these will work for you more than any other. Some people can not help but keep eating, but if those people chose healthier options and smaller portions, they would probably find that they stopped gaining weight.
One of my favorite ways to keep eating healthily is to load up the fridge and cupboard with tasty snacks. That way, when I go to snack on something, I find a ton of healthy options instead of having something bad. I also find it is important to keep a great supply of healthy breakfast options at hand. That way, no matter what I eat throughout the day, I can rest assured in the knowledge that I ate a good breakfast.
If you have been eating unhealthily for a while, then supplements are a good way to get your body back into shape. Find a good all-rounder, a vitamin tablet that has a little something extra too; iron is supposedly good for women, zinc is supposed to be good for the skin and vitamin C is good for energy levels. Pump extra goodness into your body in the morning by drinking a fruit juice with no added sugar or preservatives (these are easier to find than you think, but you might have to shop around to find your favorite kind).
Healthy breakfast recipes are easy to find, as the more creative breakfast recipes tends to be healthier. What I mean is that, the quick options like white bread or sugary cereals take very little preparation, but just spending the time to read labels on cereal boxes, or to make your own muesli for example, will boost your health. My go-to breakfasts are: homemade muesli (I simple add some no added sugar store-bought muesli with more dried fruit, nuts and seeds, as well as extra bran and oats), porridge and wholewheat bagels. I always have soya milk (with added apple juice … it tastes delicious) and soya spread in my fridge, so that I have a super healthy topping at breakfast.
Lunches are sometimes a bit tricky, if you are eating during work. Its difficult to find healthy options on the high street … white flour and cheese are the cheapest ingredients for companies to use, and so it is frustrating finding anything but. Why not take your own lunch? Make a big wholewheat pasta salad with vegetables and beans at the beginning of the week, and then once more in the middle to see you through. Just do not forget to take it with you!
Eating out at dinner time is often one of the most annoying things for anyone that's on a diet, but I would say that if its a treat then treat yourself, have what you want! But if going out to dinner is a regular occurrence then you will need to be selective about what you have. Sometimes the healthier looking options are not the most healthy. For example, if you are eating out at an Italian restaurant, the cheapest option might be the pizza rather than the lasagne, pasta dish or even the salad, it depends on how thick the pizza base is and what topping you have. Make sure that you get a good amount of variety in the food you eat, as this will keep you feeling well too.
If you are in the mood to cook something healthy, then search the internet for some great recipe blogs, I have included some for you below to help you on your way.
Healthy Blog Favourite: Do Not the Just Apples