It’s been almost 4 months now since I decided to change my eating and focus upon healthy choices. Believe me I wanted to lose weight but I knew I needed something which would be a long-term, a more lifestyle oriented change. I wanted to begin to change my perspective, to truly understand that food is for fuel more than it is for pleasure or comfort.
Over this period of time I haven’t been perfect with my choices, I have reverted back to old habits and chosen foods which weren’t healthy choices. I didn’t just have a treat once in a while, I fell back into eating food because of an emotional response. Thankfully I’ve raised my awareness and have managed to get myself back on track when I’ve perpetuated these behaviors but I still have work to do.
By taking my life one day at a time I’m able to get over these slips quickly. Each day I aim to be aware, to use the knowledge and tools which are around all of us in order to consume a diet which will build up my health.
Here are my 5 favorite tips to help change your diet.
Choose Water – We all know that it’s a good idea to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day but we rarely do it. By drinking 2 eight oz glasses of water before each meal we’re guaranteed to get in 6 glasses and can easily grab 2 more as the day goes on. If you don’t like water I’d suggest making sure it’s cold, buy flavored water or add fruit to it.
Portion Control – Knowing the suggested size of portions is important, you don’t have to run out and buy a kitchen scale to do it. Some simple references:
- three ounces of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards
- ½ cup is the size of an ice cream scoop
- 1 cup is the size of a tennis ball
- 1 ounce of cheese is the size of a domino
Take Your Time Eating – Studies show that it takes up to 20 minutes for the brain to recognize when the body is full. If we eat slowly we allow the time for the brain to receive the signal from the stomach and will avoid over-eating.
Make Wise Choices – Whenever possible choose long-grains, darker fruits and veggies and lean proteins. Grain products give you energy for your busy day and the fibre in them to help keep you regular. Dark green and orange vegetables and orange fruit are the best – they’re packed with nutrients and fiber. Meat and meat alternatives can be great for protein, iron and other nutrients.
Plan Ahead – By spending time on a Sunday planning for the week I’ve been able to foresee when I’ll have to eat out and source out restaurants in the area with healthy options. Planning is also a time saver, it allows for pre-cooking and freezing for the nights when time is short. Think like a girl or boy scout friends and be prepared!
If you have a blog post relating to improving health, please link up. Have you found tips which can help others, tell me your secrets to eating healthy.
All great tips, Julie. I could really do better drinking more water and I like knowing the correct portion sizes.
Hilarious that you wrote about tips this week too! I had so many people asking me what I was doing which inspired my post – you have some GREAT suggestions and information! When food is an emotional resource for us, it is very difficult to change that habit. It will take time, we will have ups and downs, but we will get there! Think positive!
Great tips Julie! Thanks for those and congrats on your changes you’ve made!
SO true! When I lost 63 lbs, I changed A LOT of what I did. Even though I’m maintaining the weight loss now, I find that I increased my water intake so much that if I don’t drink enough water in a day, I actually crave it.
great tips – especially about eating slowly….I am a quick eater (apprently always have been) and often end up feeling crappy because I have eaten too much
Great tips. I find it hard to remember to drink my water. I like to ass a splash of lemon juice to ice cold water to make it more appealing.
Wonderful tips! Portion control was a big one for my hubby when we decided to change our way of eating. For me it’s sticking with the water, luckily the sassy water has been helping me a lot.
You ladies are inspiring me this week with your tips! One I have a hard time with is taking my time eating; I’m usually so busy taking care of my kids that I either rush my food or skip it altogether. Not the healthiest habit!
Great tips, Thanks!! Water is my kryptonite!
Water is definitely a great help and actually it is one of the ways where we can just have it and be healthy in and out.. Its a great way to help toxins out of our body..
Yeah water is a very special matter that can clean us and clean mo from sin.
Those are great tips – I need to work on some of them! The sad thing is that when I was growing up, my mom was really good about cooking healthy for us (whole grains, no sugar, fruit for snacks, etc) but when I moved out, I kinda forgot most of that… now I need to re-establish those habits and it’s hard! :)
Meal planning helps me stay on track with my diet for sure! I eat way more than a domino sized piece of cheese though. That’s a good reference for portion control.
Hi. I’m stopping by from SITS this morning and must say I really like your blog. It’s a cute design and the information I’ve read so far is helpful. This one is great for a Monday morning – getting me off to a good start for the week. one thing I’ve been doing is keeping a food journal. It’s helped me really be aware of what I’m consuming every day. And I specifically, at the bottom of each page log each glass of water I drink in a day. I liked your suggestion to drink 2 glasses before each meal – then you’ve got 6 already.