 Focus on what you GET to eat instead of what you cannot eat: Add more healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables to your diet and fill up on those foods first. You shouldn't have to give up anything to lose weight when the majority of your diet is healthy, unprocessed foods. With no more off limit foods, you can begin to change the notion that foods are either Good or Bad, and in doing so, remove the idea that you have "broken your diet" when you eat an off-limit food.
Plan your meals: Take 30-60 minutes each week and plan out your meals and snacks for the week. Think about it: if you had a plan for the week and there was healthy food waiting for you in the refrigerator, wouldn't it be SO much easier to eat well and nourish yourself? A plan will make it easier to make healthy food decisions, and the more healthy decisions you make, the better you feel and the more empowered you are to keep making those healthy food decisions.
Warm Your Kitchen: Does your kitchen feel like the heart of your home or the appendix? As a happy chef I may be a bit biased, but I truly believe that cooking at home is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself and your family. And I am not talking about warming things up in the microwave. Cooking, you know, from scratch--with amazing smells! Cooking at home allows you to eat fresh, less processed foods, which in turn can help you lose weight and have more vitality. Cooking also allows you to feel more connected to your food, and in my experience, much more satisfied with the entire process of eating.
Eat When You Are Hungry: Sounds simple, right? But how many times have you thought to yourself, just one more errand, meeting, phone call...then I will stop and eat?" When we repeatedly ignore our body's signals we lose touch with our inner signs of hunger and fullness. In my opinion, eating when you are hungry is the best way to STOP eating when you are not hungry.
Trust your Instinct: Traditional weight loss and dieting tend to be left-brained activities-this food has this many calories, grams of fat, etc. Add some right-brained intuition to the mix. Start by simply asking yourself, "how does this food make me feel when I eat it?" Generally, we want to feel good (right?) so you will find yourself naturally gravitating towards healthier foods because you are in tune with how they make you feel.
Accept who you are and the types of foods you love. One of my favorite go-to diets in my early years was the low-carb diet, mainly because it worked so well for me (since it eliminated like 75% of what I would typically eat-I LOVE CARBS!). I could lose weight like crazy on that diet. But, I was seriously neglecting a part of me that loves bread and starch. Now I realize that I just can't eliminate an entire group of foods that I LOVE and expect to feel peaceful about it. And I also know that I feel better (trusting my instinct) when I choose carbohydrates that are whole and minimally processed, like brown rice or sprouted grain breads. Find a way to have the foods you love the most be a part of your life.
If you have resolved to make changes to support a happier, healthier, more vital you this year, then congratulations! Knowing you want a change is a crucial step, and isn't making changes always easier when we feel supported? I would love to make the process of eating healthy, satisfying meals easier for you. That's why I created my Healthy Meal Planning Service. Every week, I send you healthy recipes, a shopping list and a dose of inspiration to support you on your journey to eating healthier. You also get weekly coupons for New Leaf Community Markets valued at twice that of the cost of the subscription! The best part is you can try it absolutely free for an entire month at www.nourishingnutrition.com.
Let's hear it for comforting and nourishing foods that make our kitchen smell great!
Jennifer Brewer is a nutritionist and natural foods chef who is on a mission to change the way people lose weight. After years of yo-yo dieting, Jennifer found that by eating REAL food that she LOVED, she could finally stop dieting and start living! Through cooking classes, interactive workshops and her online Healthy Meal Plan, she educates and inspires individuals to prepare healthy foods that unlock their body's optimal potential AND taste amazing. Jennifer's recipes have been featured on numerous websites and in publications and books, such as Free To Eat: The Proven Recipe for Permanent Weight Loss. She is a graduate of the Chef's Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Cookery School in New York City and has a Masters Degree in Nutrition. Meet her at www.nourishingnutrition.com. |
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