One of the first steps to a healthier you is adjusting what you eat - and how much you eat.
Let's begin with crushing a common belief that people hold when trying to "diet" or eat healthier. The belief that to be healthy you have to throw out all your junk food and go straight to eating all healthy all the time is what kills people's motivations and makes dieting so hard.
What I have discovered that works best for me is using an "80/20" method: 80% of what goes into my mouth will be healthy, whole foods, while I have a 20% leeway (for cookies with lunch, or lunchmeat in my sandwich instead of roast beef, or even a bowl of ice cream after dinner!!) When a person who isn't used to eating lots of veggies, fruits, or whole grains tries to go from Fruit Loops for breakfast every morning straight to scrambled eggs and wasa crackers, they fail. EVERY SINGLE TIME.
We are creatures of habit - and we like our snacks! Our ho-ho's, ding dongs, cookies, and popsicles. But to "diet" or eat cleaner, you don't have to give that up!! Yes you do need to follow the portion size, and yes you should NOT eat a ho-ho more than once a day, but that can be included in your 20%.
When applying the 80/20 method, use variety for both your meals and your snacks. If you're going to eat a small steak with stir-fry veggies, you can have a decent sized slice of cake for dessert. Or a soda with your meal, and no dessert. But make the variation work for you - don't have just a cupcake for a snack, but rather half a cupcake and a handful of broccoli. You know?
It doesn't have to be as hard as we make it - and in all reality, life would be miserable without chocolate!
So make the best choices you can when it comes to eating clean and being healthier, but you don't have to be miserable. "Slow and steady wins the race"...a slow transition from a junk food lifestyle to a clean eating lifestyle is the best way to maximize results and become a healthier - and muuuccchhhh happier - you.
Enjoy !
-Jenn
