Healthy(ish) Eating Tips 'n' Tricks

Let's begin a new month on some healthy-type footing, eh?  I've spoken a couple of times previously in the past about how for the majority of the time I like to keep my diet and lifestyle pretty healthy-ish (or at least 'healthy-ish' as I perceive it to be). This means that for most of my diet I try to make good, healthy choices while still having the occasional treat every now and again. So for today's post I thought I'd talk through some of my personal tips and tricks that I've found along the way which help me keep that balance and stay overly healthy. I also try and exercise regularly throughout the week, though that is an entirely different topic and one I may cover in another 'Tips 'n' Tricks'-style post if that's something you'd like to see? Let me know...

 

1. EASE YOURSELF IN - I always think the most important thing when it comes to starting to lie a healthier lifestyle is to gradually introduce small changes, rather than throwing yourself into the deep end and trying to go from eating McDonalds for breakfast, lunch and dinner to eating a completely plant-based diet. It's just not gonna happen. Whatever your end goal is, try and take small steps towards it over time and almost set yourself mini-goals along the way to work towards instead. Maybe one week attempt to replace a certain food with a healthier option, and then another week do the same to a different one. I've definitely found this process to be highly effective.
2. ALLOW THE OCCASIONAL TREAT - Another one I've certainly grown to accept as an important one is to allow myself the occasional 'off time'. By this I mean a snack, or a meal, or in the worse case - a day - where I treat myself and have something that is perhaps not considered so healthy. I find this to really help me limit myself as opposed to trying to stay away from naughty things completely and then a few weeks later caving in and consuming far more of it than I would if I'd have allowed it in moderation before.
3. DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP - Following on from the previous point, I also think an essential step in leading not only a healthier lifestyle but also a happy one, is to never beat yourself up about what you eat. Just because eating healthy may make you feel good doesn't mean treating yourself and indulging occasionally should do the opposite. Don't waste time stressing about the burger you just ate if you've been relatively good all the past week. Just enjoy it (it's not called a 'treat' for nothing) and if anything use it to reflect on the progress you've made, but also what you still want to achieve. Be disciplined, not destructive.
4. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN - Another point I think is worth mentioning is the whole planning thang. I believe that one of the keys to eating well and maintaining it is by planning ahead your meals and snacks. Now this doesn't necessarily mean you should meticulously arrange your eating habits down so to have certain meals on certain days etc. but more just to do with an overall sense of organisation. If you plan you meals for the week you can then see what you already have stored away or need to buy and so can do one big shop (or possibly one larger and one smaller, top-up shop) as opposed to doing one virtually every other day. This of course saves time, money and petrol but also adds a greater commitment to your healthy way of living. If you know a meal is already comprised of things you have in your kitchen, you're less likely order a takeaway or pop to the shops, emerging with a wide variety of unnecessary (and possibly unhealthy) items you did not go in there to purchase. Obviously this still allows for a certain amount of flexibility as you can easily switch meals around depending on what you fancy. This also applies to snacking - if you already have a range of healthy snakcs ready and waiting what you need them, you're less likely to go to the corner shop and get a Boost bar (my personal fave treat).
5. GO ALONG WITH YOUR BODY - Finally, and probably the most important one of them all - and that is to simply listen to your body - I know, deep. I don't mean to get all #SnorkelsAtTheReady with y'all, but I really do believe that ultimately, you need to make sure whatever you are doing is right for you and your body. Don't force yourself into doing something that doesn't feel right, or try and hastily speed things up when it's not yet the right time. If you want your whatever changes you make to be effective, you need to think them through carefully in regards to what's right for you.

And that just about wraps up my five top tips for leading a healthier (ish) lifestyle and getting to grips with the whole 'healthy eating' thang. Any others you'd like to add to the list? I'm all ears...