Healthy Eating: A Starter Guide
When it comes to starting a new fitness program to get in-shape, the exercise part is easy. You simply schedule a few hours into the week in which you commit to getting to the gym to lift some weights and do some cardio. It just takes a few hours of targeted focus each week. Diet on the other hand is a whole different animal. You are constantly bombarded by temptation and old habits that need to die. There will most certainly be failures ahead, but once you realize that, they become learning opportunities. The goal is still to minimize the failures. Here's how you get started:
Purchase lots of Tupperware or food storage containers. If you aren't heavily stocked in this department you are setting yourself up for massive failure. Healthy eating starts with planning ahead and being prepared for the worst. I always take more food with me than I will need for the day and keep healthy snack foods around for when I need them. Try to find containers that will fit a whole meal in each of them (for ease of use) and are made of glass. Plastic containers will leach toxins into your food that can act as endocrine disruptors and place an increased load on your detoxification systems.
Batch cook everything. Doesn't matter what recipe I'm following, I always double it. Make enough to always have leftovers you can throw in the fridge or freezer for later. You're already in the kitchen doing the work, why not knock out a few future meals at the same time by just doubling the ingredients?
Cook for a few days at a time. Not only do I double the ingredients for any recipe, but I will cook numerous meals for the coming week all at once. This will take some time at first, but you will learn to become more efficient with it and eventually be saving yourself a lot of time down the road. Start on a Sunday just to be sure you have enough time.
Eat for function. Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring, and you will learn how to mix and match herbs and spices to make some delicious meals, but again this will take practice. At first, your focus needs to be on getting the basic nutrients in, not on having them taste great. Get used to eating raw vegetables, they are delicious and good for you. Your taste buds will adapt and you will learn to love subtle flavors again, while finding most sweets too sweet for enjoyment. Eating for pleasure comes when you go out to eat with friends or family, or simply have the time for it. The more often you eat foods packed with flavor, the more you will crave them, try to keep things simple.
In summary, be prepared and keep things simple. Healthy eating doesn't have to be a chore and can taste great, but it takes practice and preparation. Now get out there and eat some broccoli!