Have you even ventured down the path of healthy eating, and felt so overwhelmed you haven’t known where to start. A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step – here are five steps that you can implement straight away to help you get started:
- Create small goals
Things are so much more achievable (and less frightening) when they are broken down into smaller steps. If overhauling everything all at once is overwhelming, then the good news is you can still create long lasting habits with small changes. These can be as simple as eating breakfast every day, not adding sugar to your coffee, only having pasta once per week, swapping up your regular dessert with fruit. Once one goal has been achieved, you simply set a new one.
- Plan your meals
This is one of the most effective ways to ensure that you stay on track as you won’t get caught out with nothing to cook or lost for ideas. I’m not suggesting that you need to have every single meal and snack planned out for the next month, but have some ideas about what you can prepare during the week and then go from there.
E.g.) Monday dinner: Roast chicken and vegetables
Tuesday lunch: Leftover dinner
Thursday night: Open hamburgers
- Create a shopping list
Now that you have some ideas about what you have planned cooking for the week, you can create a list of all items you need to purchase. Dedicate a few hours visiting the butcher, supermarket and fruit shop, to ensure that your pantry is well stocked and your enthusiasm about cooking some delicious and nutritious meals set to high. If you keep healthy ingredients in your pantry, you will cook healthy meals.
- Stay accountable
Being accountable for what you are eating will keep you committed to staying on track. Keep a food diary, take photos and post your meals, find an accountability buddy, speak to your coach – do whatever it is you need to do to ensure that you don’t fall off the wagon. Anyone can start something new, but the key success is persisting – and one way to see you succeed is having someone else to keep you in check.
- Do your own research
Knowledge is power and the more you understand WHY you are doing something, the HOW will take care of itself. Read nutrition articles and blogs on our website, download the free resources we have available including Food to Eat for Health and Weight Loss, speak to your trainer about resources that they recommend, google some exciting recipes that you can try, find out where you can source good quality produce, swap ideas with people who are already doing this. Own what you are doing so when people ask you why you are looking so fantastic, you can tell them how.
Happy eating
Written by Danielle Fancellu, Nutrition Counsellor
