- Eating healthy is going to be boring
SO WRONG. Eating healthy is one of the most invigorating habits to get into. Instead of going into a new change in your regular eating habits with a negative or fearful connotation, look at it as a way to create your own meals and make them your own! There are no rules that say you must eat the same old grilled chicken with brown rice and broccoli everyday. Variations should be embraced! Swap out your choices of protein and match them with a new grain. Try using different spices and play around with different pairings of flavors to keep you on your toes (and avoid adding that extra salt). There are over 20,000 different edible species of plants, so if you aren’t a vegetable guru, there is bound to be at least a couple that you can fall in love with and ultimately benefit from. Be adventurous! Challenge yourself to try something new that can fit your healthy habit goals!
- I’m going to be hungry all the time.
Somehow, some way, eating healthy has become attached to this idea that in order to lose weight, you’re going to have to deal with being hungry all the time from eating like a bird. NOPE. Believe it or not, maintaining a healthy lifestyle means that you can eat more! (Yes, you read that right). Unlike processed and fast foods, healthful and whole foods are considered nutrient-dense instead of calorie-dense. That means you can really eat more food for less calories. Not to mention, eating healthy doesn’t mean that you are eating strictly vegetables and salads for the rest of your days. Fats are your friends! Of course, you should look to incorporate healthy, unsaturated fats into your diet instead of deciding to pour a tub of ranch dressing over your salad. Try some avocado, olives or walnuts to get you staying full without clogging those arteries. Likewise, there are a variety of different proteins, not just from animal products (beans, quinoa, eggs, yogurt, etc.) that not only provide you with a nutritional benefit, but also help you stay on track without adding empty calories. What you put into your body is what contributes to your energy to not only exercise, but to live! Don’t think about restricting the food you eat, but focus on what it is that you are eating, now much and what it is giving back to you and your health!
- You can never go out to eat without ruining your progress.
False. You’re not supposed stay in your house all day cooking and prepping all your macros and measuring your bowls of rice and chicken. LIVE! Go out with friends and family to brunch! Enjoy yourself with a glass of red wine and a candle lit dinner on a Friday night! You won’t be ruining your progress over one meal. It’s just important to be conscious of what you are eating while still letting yourself be a little more lenient. Maybe instead of having two glasses of wine, a side of fries and a piece of cheesecake to finish the night off, choose one sinful option and love every minute of it! Go for a grilled or broiled option instead of a fried, chose a side salad or vegetables instead of fries, and opt out for dessert or share it to split those calories up! Every little bit helps, so if you are still mindful of what you eat without totally diving into ruining your progress or your social life, you can stay happy and on track with the changes you are making to better yourself!
