We regularly get a question about how best to start eating healthier. This can be very tricky. There is so much information out there that you can’t see the wood for the trees. I myself started to consciously eat healthier more than 4 years ago and as I did so, I applied and learned new things along the way. That is why I have compiled a list of things that have helped me and that will help you to start eating healthier.
1. Start with small steps
You can talk. How did you learn that? Not by speaking full sentences right away. Word by word, you learned to speak. You can apply this principle with healthier eating too. Start by cutting out 1 unhealthy thing! For example, don’t put sugar in your coffee anymore. Suppose you drink your coffee with a lump of sugar and daily you drink 3 cups of coffee. Then you get 60 calories a day because you like sweet coffee. This will save you almost 22,000 calories a year. So a small step (for example, no sugar in your coffee) actually has an impact!
2. Adjust 1 thing
Adjust 1 thing each time. By doing so, you make it easy for yourself and it is much easier to stick to it. Everyone is willing to adjust 1 thing? You are, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this blog! So keep changing one thing and keep doing it. If you do this every 2 days, after a month you will already have changed 15 things that will help you eat healthier!
3. Look at the bigger picture
Your best friend’s birthday is coming up. You have a nice piece of cake and nauseously eat in the snacks on the table. When you get home in the evening, you feel bad about it and think that the healthy meals you ate last week were all for nothing. I can totally understand that. I myself have had those moments regularly. But what does it matter that you let yourself go once? Don’t let that affect how you eat tomorrow. Look at the bigger picture and focus on what you can do better in that future and on the good things you have already done!
4. Make it a habit
Do you think about whether to brush your teeth before bed? Probably not. Do you think about how to ride a bike? Probably not. This is because it is a WAY. If you want to eat healthier, it is important to unlearn ‘bad’ habits and learn ‘good’ habits. By learning new habits, you make it easier for yourself to start eating healthier.
5. Sleep Zzzzzz…..
Many people underestimate the importance of sleep. However, sleep is very important for a healthy lifestyle. Look consciously at your sleep rhythm and patterns that get in the way of a good night’s sleep. It is very difficult to maintain a new habit, in this case eating healthier, if you are not rested.
6. Collect healthy recipes
See a healthy yet delicious recipe somewhere? Cut it out, send it in the family app, take a screenshot, save it, whatever you like……… Collect healthy recipes! Make these recipes a few times and give yourself (and your family) a few weeks to get used to them. By doing this, you won’t have to keep reinventing the wheel. This will save you a lot of time and headaches. For inspiration, look in cookbooks, magazines, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest….
7. Make a shopping list
I often came home with more groceries than I had thought beforehand. Often I would walk through the shop and see something tasty that I spontaneously craved. And hup, straight into my basket! You probably recognise yourself in this, right? You can avoid this. Make a shopping list and buy ONLY what is on the shopping list. This will prevent you from impulsively buying extra (unhealthy) things! It also saves you money. What more could you want!
The things in the list above helped me a lot to start eating healthier. This works slightly differently for everyone. Take a look at what can help you and apply it! Share your tips and tricks and help other readers who don’t know what to do and where to start!
