5 Tips To Create A Positive Mindset To Healthy Eating This Spring
Often in Winter we tend to be drawn to warm, comforting foods, and sometimes end up consuming more food overall in the cold season. We’ve got 5 tips to get you back on track to improving your healthy habits this Spring.
Start now
Use this as your sign to start! It’s common to delay making changes until a certain time, such as “I’ll start Monday” or “I’ll start on the first day of Spring”. The sooner you start to make positive changes, the sooner you will feel more healthier and more energised.
Plan your meals in advance
Often planning what’s for dinner at 5pm can be too late and can lead to hunger-induced decisions, often choosing for the quickest and easiest option (although it may not be the healthiest) because you’re already hungry. Planning in advance, either a few hours before, or even better – a few days before, can avoid these hunger-induced decisions. A strategy could be writing down your own meal plan for the days ahead, so you’re already prepared with the food items you need. This avoids making last minute decisions when you’re hungry, like getting takeaway that may not be the healthiest option. It will end up being better for your health and you will save money!
Take it one meal at a time
Life can be extremely busy and at some point, something must give. Unfortunately, the easiest option is our health. Making changes one at a time, rather than all at once, can reduce the pressure and stress we put on ourselves, making it more likely to keep these new healthy habits long-term.
Start by focusing on one meal. If you find you often buy takeaway a few nights a week purely due to lack of time, focus on being organised for dinner or preparing dinner meals ahead of time. Focusing on improving that one meal every day, will have a huge impact over the week, month, and year! See our article here on simple, small nutrition improvements to your meals can make major improvements your health.
Add, don’t just subtract
Denying yourself of your favourite foods will end in a disaster. By restricting yourself from certain foods, your body will start to crave them, leading to over consuming on the foods you restricted. Try not to restrict or remove foods completely, think of ways you can add healthier options. For example, if you love pizza, still eat the pizza and add extra veg to it or add a side salad.
Use the buddy system
Having the support of a friend or partner can be extremely motivating as you keep each other accountable to your goals. For example, take turns with a work friend to make a healthy lunch or go to a Live Life Get Active class with your partner. Make sure you’re checking in on each other often to get the most out of your healthy partnership! Perhaps book in to one of our sessions and keep each other accountable to a certain number of sessions per week.
