Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, South Beach, Slim Fast. What do all of these have in common? They’re the “perfect” diets, right?
I went through a phase where I studied diets, nutrition, and food relentlessly. I figured out how to count calories, the best ways to lose weight, the most recommended ways to keep healthy, the pros and cons of crash diets, and quite a bit more. Several times over the last few years I have had people call, text, email, or approach me in person to talk about diets and ask what I do to eat healthy. I thought it would be much easier to write a blog post for all of you. I’m no professional, but I can tell you I have done quite a bit of studying. Here are a few of the things I do to maintain healthy eating patterns:
- I never use a diet program because I don’t want to be on that my entire life to maintain a healthy body. A healthy diet needs to be something you can maintain! Many programs encourage you to stay off of carbs, sugars, or fats altogether. There is NO WAY I can maintain that my entire life! Instead, I watch to make sure I am balancing my fruits, vegetables, proteins, carbs, and fats.
- I incorporate as many fruits and vegetables into my diet as possible. I mix vegetables into my smoothies and top my yogurt with fruit. I try to eat 5-7 servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day.
- I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full.
- I save a little room each day for something sweet (90% of the time this is chocolate). I’ve found that if I allow myself to indulge a little each day I can avoid gorging when sweets are put in front of me at a birthday party or holiday gathering. I try to stick to the 80/20 rule and eat healthy 80% of the time and allow myself to eat not-so-healthy 20% of the time.
- I drink lots of water! My goal is to drink at least two cups of water before every meal; this way I stay hydrated and don’t confuse hunger with thirst.
- I don’t count calories or macronutrients (macros). I focus more on the quality of the food I am eating rather than the number that is associated with the food.
My diet certainly isn’t perfect, but I have learned a few things about healthy eating over the years. Comment below the things do you do to maintain a good diet! I’d love to hear. XO!
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