Did Your Diet Get Off Track During the Holidays?
If so, you are not alone. Most people slip up or cheat at some point when trying to eat healthier particularly around the holidays. Now that the holidays are over it is time to get things back on track. It’s important to not let these instances discourage you and to focus on the things that will help you stick to your goals moving forward.
If you started to make healthy lifestyle changes before the holidays, be proud of what you started. Don’t allow yourself to be wracked with guilt over where you may have slipped up. That is certainly not healthy. That doesn’t mean, of course, that you shouldn’t learn to be strict with your eating habits moving forward.
The important thing is to get back in the saddle and keep riding.
4 Tips To Stick To Healthy Eating Goals
1. Be Honest and Realistic With Yourself
Decide what your healthy eating goals are and be realistic with yourself about what you hope to achieve in the new year. Making goals that are too easy will prevent you from pushing yourself while making impossible goals will just discourage you and could cause you to give up. When you accomplish your goals, reward yourself and set new ones, but avoid rewarding yourself with junk food as that will only undo all of your hard work.
2. Don’t Give Up Everything You Love
You don’t have to swear off snack foods entirely, just make healthy eating choices when you can and start your efforts off slowly. Rather than watching TV with a bag of potato chips, or crackers and cheese; snack on a small bowl of plain popcorn. Plan your snack alternatives in advance and have a choice ready for every different taste you crave. Trade sweets and candy in for fresh fruit or eat a smaller piece of dark chocolate in lieu of a sugar loaded candy bar.
3. Don’t Starve Yourself
Feeling full throughout the day will prevent you from giving in to the urge to snack on something full of sugar or fat. Be sure to drink plenty of water and have healthier snacks during the day rather than saving your hunger up and going crazy on the ice cream or cookies in the evening. Try eating multiple smaller meals a day rather than three larger ones if this helps you to feel satisfied and less hungry. Eat real food and not highly processed food full of chemicals, additives, colors and preservatives.
4. Clear Out Your Junk Cupboard
If it’s there, you’re far more likely to grab that convenient bag of cookies or crackers sitting at the back of your cupboard when you don’t feel like taking the time to prepare a healthy snack. Throw out all the junk food you have and when you really can’t fight the urge make sure you only buy smaller packages of your favorite treats so you don’t have leftovers sitting in your kitchen to tempt you.
Stay Positive And On Track
Your healthy eating habits should be a lifelong journey rather than a crash diet, so don’t get too down on yourself when you eat a little more than you should have or just can’t resist that delicious looking pastry. Rather than thinking all hope is lost, throwing your goals out the window and finishing off the whole pizza because you’ve had one piece, just start over then and there and stay positive about your goals.
It is important to have the proper knowledge and techniques to ensure that you and your family have what you need to support a lifestyle that facilitates good health.
