Now that we’ve discussed WHY you should eat healthy, let’s talk about how! The biggest thing to remember is that you don’t have to change everything today. This isn’t a sprint, this is a marathon; healthy eating is for the long haul. All of the changes you start making today will help you for the rest of your life. So, don’t panic thinking you have to empty your cupboards and restart living on a diet solely composed of cauliflower as a substitute and kale!
Often times when I talk to people who want to start eating healthy, they mostly just feel overwhelmed. They think they have to go from their current diet and make a complete 180 degree turn and change everything overnight. We adapt the mindset that it’s out with the pasta and in with nothing but veggies from here on out. But this never works, its too many changes in too short of time and it’s unsustainable. They end up losing hope and motivation quickly and fall right back into their normal habits. We bite off more than we can chew (pun intended) when we try to change our diet, introduce more water, start exercising, introduce meditation all at once…. Start slowly!
So, let’s start with baby step one. If you change nothing else, do yourself a favor and introduce
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Many of us have the thought in our minds that vegetables are boring, bland and taste just plain gross; but there are so many options! If one thing doesn’t do it for you, try something else. You may not like kale but find arugula to be fantastic! Even the way you cook things can drastically change the taste from practically inedible to delicious. The first time I ever tried Brussel’s sprouts, they were boiled and soaked in apple cider vinegar. It was awful, I couldn’t hardly gag it down. BUT-then I tried them broiled with olive oil and seasoning and it was a game changer.
It’s time to get creative. Healthy eating is actually a lot of fun and there are so many ways to experiment. The more colors you add the wider range of health benefits and nutrients you will get. Strawberries, carrots, yellow bell peppers, spinach, blueberries, and purple cabbage are just a small example of some of the colors of the rainbow to add to your diet. You can cook these in so many ways too. For a raw option you can choose a salad. Slice them all up and stir fry it or add to curry. Broil everything for a crunchy option. Vegetables are so versatile and can meet any taste, so get to cooking!
In an interview with Tom Bilyeu, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, creator of the Lyon Protocol, stated that American’s do not have an overweight problem, they have an under-protein problem. Because protein helps our body metabolize faster, reduce appetite by suppressing the ghrelin (the hunger hormone and it burns calories faster) we need to be sure to get plenty of protein each day. Eggs and/or sausage for breakfast, chicken sandwich for lunch and a steak for dinner. Just be sure the quality of the protein is good. Pasture-raised beef, wild caught salmon, or free-range chicken are all good options. Honestly steering clear of any Tyson brand chicken is a good start. For a quick guide as to how much protein you need to consume each day, I would recommend these two links: Recommended Protein Intake and Protein Servings.
If nothing else though, remember, life is meant for enjoying. Don’t deprive yourself of a sweet treat every now and then and go ahead and have that Big Mac when nothing else will suffice. It’s called a cheat meal for a reason! So, cheat occasionally and go crazy; as what’s the point in taking such good care of your body if you can’t indulge every now and then? Just don’t make it a regular habit and when cheating, do it in moderation. We all fall off the wagon occasionally, and that’s okay. A few cookie won’t set you back, but a sleeve of cookies, along with giving you a stomachache will also crash your immune system for 24 hours or more (Refer back to the week 1 on Sugar and the Immune System for why this happens).
This introduction of greens, fiber and protein into your diet will make beneficial changes to your body, your mood and how you physically feel. Generally, once you start introducing small changes that make you feel better, it becomes easier to add more beneficial changes. Add an extra glass of water a day, eat a salad as a starter at lunch and have some red meat for dinner. Each baby step you make will be progress to your overall health goals. Remember this is a slow steady and ever-progressing marathon, not a 100-meter dash, and every change is one step closer to your optimum health. You don’t have to do everything right now. Let this be an evolving process to make it easier on you and your body!
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