Nutrition plays a vital role in our lifestyle due to the fact it delivers much-needed nutrients we need to stay healthy. A well-balanced diet aids weight management and prevents the development of many diseases and health conditions. Everyone slips up from time to time and eating habits go off track. You can easily fix this problem with eight simple tips.
1. Reflect
Take a few moments to think about your eating habits. Think about good and bad food choices, common triggers that make you slip up, and write them down on a piece of paper or your phone. Reflecting on diet habits allows you to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in order to create a plan to replace unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives.
2. Try something new
Humans are creatures of habit and it shows in the way we eat, too. For example, we tend to consume same foods and meals repeatedly. After some time, we start avoiding eating those same foods. So, if your diet is limited to one (or a few) specific food group, chances are high you’ll start slipping up. To counteract this effect, explore different cuisines, try new foods, make sure your diet contains a variety of ingredients with high nutritional value.
3. Be mindful
Don’t eat just for the sake of eating and satisfying the hunger. Instead, you should be mindful and present “in the moment”, savor every bite and pay attention to how and what you eat. Mindfulness urges you to easily make healthier choices.
4. Lifestyle, not punishment
Sometimes our healthy way of eating slips up because we’re inclined to consider it as a punishment or a program we should stick to until we reach a certain goal. When you’re following a healthy diet, avoid thinking it’s a temporary solution. Think of it as a normal part of your lifestyle. That way, it will seem natural to you to eat healthily.
5. Manage stress
A growing body of evidenceconfirms that unresolved stress is closely associated with unhealthy eating behaviors. It’s not uncommon for people to use food as comfort when dealing stressful situations. Therefore, finding a way to manage your stress helps avoid bad eating habits.
6. Use smaller plates
Big plates make foods appear smaller thus giving you a false sense of security which leads to overeating. Use smaller plates to control portion size. Not only will this aid weight management, but you’ll start choosing healthier foods that keep you full for longer.
7. Unfollow profiles with photos of unhealthy food
While #foodporn profiles on Instagram show some practical recipes and amazing photos of food, some accounts focus on unhealthy nutrition only. This makes you crave those foods, and it’s useful to unfollow those profiles. Follow accounts that promote healthy nutrition.
8. Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry
Studies showthat people who buy groceries when they’re hungry tend to choose high-calorie foods. On the other hand, those who didn’t shop hungry opted for low-calorie products. The lesson is, don’t go to the grocery store if you haven’t eaten yet.
Conclusion
A healthy diet is crucial, but all of us slip up from time to time. Follow eight tips from this post to get your diet back on track.
Feature Image Credit: shutterstock.com
