eating healthy

 

I’ve spent the last few weeks eating incredibly unhealthily. Crumpets, ice creams, burgers, you name it, I’ve had it. The thing is, I went on holiday for a week and that’s what started it. I indulged in a few little treats because, well, I was on holiday. The problem was that when I got back home the indulgences didn’t stop… So for the past few weeks I’ve been eating pretty much whatever I like with the odd healthy eating day thrown in. This left me in a food rut that quite honestly, I didn’t know how to get out of. I mean, who wants to give up their favourite treats?

 

That way until I stepped on the scales a few days ago and got a shock – I’d gained four pounds! I know that doesn’t seem like a lot but if I gained four pound in three weeks, imagine what I’d gain in six. That’s when I knew that if I didn’t want to end up the size of a house, as my mum would put it, I had to make changes. Getting out of a food rut isn’t easy but with determination, willpower and some of your favourite healthy foods, it is possible.

 

Choose a diet plan

 

Pick a diet plan that you think will work for you. You can opt to simply ‘healthy eat’ but often having a plan to follow can make sticking to it easier. I’m a real Slimming World lover simply because it’s basically just healthy eating in a structured way. It’s not a diet in the sense that you’re preventing yourself from eating certain foods, it’s just a case of cutting back. I’ve been following the Slimming World diet plan for the last year on and off and absolutely love it. I have friends who hate Slimming World but love Weight Watchers, when it comes to choosing a diet plan it’s about what works for you.

 

Write a list of changes you plan to make

 

I always find that writing down a list of changes helps to motivate me to stay on track. For instance, if I’m being healthy I’ll swap to drinking just water and instead of drinking cow’s milk I’ll opt for almond milk. I also swap sugary cereals for whole grain alternatives, like porridge or homemade granola. I am a big fan of granola but the shop brought stuff is packed with sugar – we’re talking something like six teaspoons of sugar per serving. That’s a crazy amount of sugar to be eating, hence why I opt to make my own healthy alternative.

 

Stock the fridge and get cooking

 

Write a list of all the foods you’ll need for a week – break, lunch, dinner and snacks, and head to your local supermarket. As a rule of thumb, stick to healthy whole grains, lean meats, and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. If there’s anything that you want to make, don’t forget to get the ingredients. For instance, I like to make healthy homemade hummus, falafel, frozen yogurt, and fruity breakfast flapjacks. These are foods that when brought readymade are packed full of all sorts but can be healthy when made from scratch.

 

Keep track of what you’re eating

 

I always find it easier to stay on track with healthy eating when I note down what I’m eating. I tend to use the notes page of my app and then clear it each day. By writing down what I’m eating, I know I’m not overdoing it. I’m one of these people who always forgets what they’ve eaten, so keeping note of what I’m eating is important.

 
Food ruts can be a nightmare to get out of, but with the right changes it is possible. Of course, in order to be successful, you need to want to be healthier, else there’s no point bothering. Believe it or not, your mindset has a big impact on how successful you are when it comes to dieting or eating healthily.