Losing weight, well, let’s just say it’s pretty unpleasant, and by unpleasant, we mean that it can be pure hell! Okay, perhaps that is a slight exaggeration on our part, but trying to lose weight and eat healthily is not easy, especially if you love food. What’s that? You DO love food? Well, join the club. Life has a habit of being cruelly ironic at times, as it seems as if all of the delicious foods that we enjoy eating are bad for us and are bad for our waistlines. Be honest, if you had the choice between a grilled chicken salad, and a bacon double cheeseburger, which would you choose? Exactly, it would be bye-bye lettuce leaves, and hello greasy, meaty, cheesy goodness. If you are adamant that your eating habits have to change however, and if you’re sick and tired of being overweight and not being happy with your physique, it could be time to dig deep and clean up your diet, and your exercise regimes. For now, we’ll focus on the dietary side of things, as we provide you with the ultimate guide to healthy eating, without making yourself miserable in the process.
Getting your head in the game
First and foremost, before you even consider trying to change your dietary habits and eating healthily, you will need to take the time to get yourself mentally prepared for the task that lies ahead. The majority of the battle lies within your head itself, because if you aren’t mentally prepared, well, you may as well not bother. A few tried and tested methods for getting yourself mentally prepared include:
Visualisation
When we embark on a healthy eating campaign, we do so for a reason. Some people choose to eat right for health reasons, some do it for aesthetic purposes as they want to look good, and some do it as a combination of both. Whatever your reasons are for changing your diet, you should take the time to visualize yourself at your ideal target. If you’re looking to transform your body, visualize yourself with a lean, ripped, and toned physique, and imagine how confident you’ll feel, and how happy you’ll feel as a result.
Research
If you think that you know everything there is to know about healthy eating, and health and fitness in general, you need to give your head a shake because even the greatest minds in the business will admit to not knowing everything there is to know about health and fitness. Before you embark on a healthy eating lifestyle, you should take the time to research all of the foods and drinks you should be consuming, and everything you should be avoiding. Don’t just look up what to eat and drink however, take the time to look up why you should eat and drink certain things, and why certain things should be avoided. Look at the different health qualities associated with each product, and look at what it is that makes them so good.
Commit to long-term changes
The problem that many people tend to encounter in regards to healthy eating, is that they do not commit to change for the long-term, instead, they view healthy eating as a quick fix, which is why so many people go on crash diets. In their heads, they know that, for the next few weeks, they will be eating bland, low calorie, boring foods, yet they are already planning all of the delicious foods they are going to eat when they finish their diets. Not surprisingly, people with this mindset will yo-yo diet as they lose weight, gain it, lost it, gain it, and so on. For you to succeed, you need to commit to long-term change, and accept the fact that you need to change your lifestyle, rather than just your diet for a few weeks.
The food and drink
Now that you’re hopefully more mentally prepared for healthy eating, the next thing you need to do is to purchase the foods and beverages that are going to transform your body, and help you to achieve your goals and objectives. A few handy tips to help get you to where you need to be include:
Quality ingredients
Healthy eating is about so much more than losing fat, it is about nourishing your body with fresh, healthy, and natural produce. Look for foods that are all-natural and that are free from artificial ingredients. Avoid processed foods and go for whole foods instead. Quality proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty of water should be at the forefront of your mind. If a food or drink item contains a lot of ingredients, or ingredients that you cannot pronounce, put it back and go for something a great deal more natural instead.
Vary your meals
Remember, you aren’t on a diet, you are following a new lifestyle, and because of this, you will need to ensure that you vary your meals and mix things up regularly. If you eat the same foods day in and day out, you will quickly grow bored, and when you grow bored, you stop having fun, and when you stop having fun, you reach for the junk. Purchase quality ingredients, look up healthy recipes, and try cooking different ones with different ingredients. Some you will not enjoy that much, whereas others you will absolutely love.
Don’t become obsessed
It’s easy for a person to find themselves becoming obsessed with their diets, and that is never a good thing. Of course you should eat clean and healthy foods, but if you are craving a dollop of mayonnaise on your salad, or a little extra cheese on top of your pasta, then go ahead and give in to your cravings, and don’t beat yourself up. Remember, you are in this for the long run, so there is no huge rush.
Enjoy nice foods and drinks now and again
If you have had an awful day and you feel as if an unhealthy meal is the only thing to put you in a better mood, then go ahead and eat what it is that you crave, and don’t beat yourself up over it. A little of what you love will do you good, and as long as you get right back on track the next day, truthfully, there will be no real harm done at all.
