With all of the dieting and nutrition information out there, it’s difficult to know what’s the best program to follow. Then there comes the difficulty of buying all the ingredients for a specific meal plan and following it to a “t”. The question is…how can you eat healthily, enjoy your life and move away from the “dieting” mentality?
The answer is simple. Create one custom meal at a time, starting with breakfast, and cater it to your personal preferences and lifestyle.
Everyone wants to put a label on how we eat. Paleo. Atkins. Weight Watchers. Raw Diet. It makes it easier to know what to eat in the short-term but not so simple to stick with the plan in the long-term. In the beginning, it’s all about following the diet’s advice and already-created meal plan. After a while, it’s difficult to stick to a strict plan (because it’s not customized), and it becomes a burden to follow. That’s when making your own meal plan is the best solution. It may take a little more effort in the beginning, but it saves you a lifetime of struggling with different diets.
It’s more important to educate yourself on the foods you’re putting in your body and how they’re either positively or negatively impacting your metabolism, hormones and overall health. That way, you can eat the foods you love, the way you want, on a schedule that works for you.
If you’re not already eating healthily, or if you’re overwhelmed by the thought of dieting, start by re-creating what you eat for breakfast. If you’re currently skipping it, begin by implementing something small and easy to eat. Some of my non-breakfast-eating clients incorporate apple slices and almond butter or a nutrition bar for an easy breakfast. Others prefer protein shakes or a full-on meal of eggs and veggies or gluten-free cereal with almonds. It’s completely up to you.
Next, take inventory on your other meal choices. Look at what you’re currently eating and notice where you’re skipping meals or not getting enough nutrients through vegetables and fruits. Making small changes will help you create lasting results, so make mini adjustments to breakfast, then your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, lunch and dinner choices.
Your small change could come in the form of drinking more water throughout the day or eating something healthy with your morning coffee. It’s the little victories that motivate you to do more and all the while you’re learning to trust your body and know what it wants. Getting out of an auto-pilot mentality of dieting and proactively creating a healthy plan will make you nutritionally empowered. Try it today.
Action Step: Take stock of your meals today and make a small change at breakfast (or another meal if you’re good on breakfast choices).
Optional Action Step: Make one new change each week in your meal choices and experiment with healthy recipes to change it up.
– Katie Humphrey
As a keynote speaker, empowerment coach, author and spokesperson, Katie Humphrey inspires women to feel fit, confident and motivated. Her dynamic Revolution of YOU brand helps overwhelmed and stressed out women confidently reach their goals.
Visit Katie’s Website at KatieHumphrey.com
