Yes, my holidays were full of fun and frivolity, but like so many people, I gave in to the temptations of my taste buds. Ordinarily, I try hard to make healthy food choices, but from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, there is an abundance of naughty nutrition in the food that presents itself. And yes, I slid down that slippery slope. So now, if you’re like me, how do we rein ourselves back in?
Why Not Be Naughty?
For some, there is the issue of weight loss. For others, there are health issues which worsen with bad food choices. And for many, you’ve seen loved ones suffer from illnesses related to unhealthy eating habits, and you don’t want that to happen to you.
I’ve fallen off the horse many times through the years, so I’ve learned some things through my mistakes when I try to get back on the horse of healthy eating. Here are 5 tips that might help you re-establish good eating habits more quickly.
The Path out of Naughty Nutrition
1. Remember that the first few days of giving up your naughty eating habits are the hardest. It gets much easier to say no to that cookie or snack after the initial break-up period. When I remind myself of this, it’s easier to stick with it through the initial withdrawal.
2. Don’t change too much at one time. After the holidays, I used to try to give up sugar, flour, and caffeine all at the same time. Within a short period, I was back to “using” all three again. For me, it’s more effective to cut out one thing for a few weeks, replacing it with healthier choices. Then after a few weeks, when I’m used to that, I can give up the next thing, and so on.
3. Make a list of your healthy alternative snacks and meals, so that you can quickly think of something to eat when you’re tempted to go back to your old ways. For example, I love cookies, and in my initial withdrawal, when I’m tempted to have one, I will eat a Kind bar instead — one of their flavors that doesn’t have sugar. These are yummy fruit and nut bars that you can buy at health food stores. I’ve even seen them at Starbucks.
4. Grocery–shop using your list from #3 above. Stock up your shelves with your healthier options, and get rid of your temptations. Or, if you have a family member who absolutely must have the things you’re trying to give up, put them all on a high shelf or in a place where you won’t easily see them. This situation isn’t ideal, but sometimes family members just aren’t on the same page as us.
5. With each meal, get in the habit of asking “Is there a raw vegetable I can add to this in some form or fashion?” Raw veggies are such a fantastic source of nutrition, but they can easily get eliminated from our diet. Often I shred something like carrots, squash, or greens and add them to a sandwich, or even into a warm meal. And these hardly add any calories.
From Naughty Nutrition to New-found Freedom
So if you’ve lost a battle over the holiday season, it doesn’t mean you’ve lost the war. Get back up on that horse and experience how good it feels to ride with the wind in your hair, with a body fueled by healthy food.