Smarter Eating in 5 Simple Steps

Jul 30 2021
Jumping into a healthy-eating routine can be daunting. Many people try to redo their entire lifestyle and then give up a couple weeks later. Forget the all-at-once approach, and check out this step-by-step guide to making smarter choices day by day...



1. See where you're starting out.

For the next week, write down everything you eat and drink without trying to make any real changes. You don’t need a fancy food journal; any basic pocket-sized notepad will do. This will give you an idea of what you're working with: the pitfalls you'd like to avoid, the foods that trigger munchie madness, the meal times that give you the most trouble, etc. From there, you can dive in and find solutions. Which brings us to the next step...

2. Make a plan.

Now spend some time looking at the week ahead and deciding what you need in order to eat right. Fast and easy morning meals, so you're not tempted to hit up the breakroom breakfast pastries? Better-for-you snacks to help you avoid the office vending machine? Map out a meal & snack plan, make a shopping list (and stick to it!), and stock up.

3. Weekend prep.

Filling your fridge and pantry with healthy staples is a great start, but let's make things even easier. Cook up some Easy Freezy Breakfast Sandwiches for heat & eat breakfasts in a hurry. Throw together a few protein-packed salads for ready-to-eat lunches. Cut up a bunch of veggies so you're more likely to cook a healthy stir-fry after a long day at work.

4. Each week, focus on a new healthy habit.

Don't try to change everything all at once... It's a marathon, not a sprint! For example, one week you can concentrate on increasing your daily water intake. Another week, you can try upping the number of steps you take each day. Before you know it, you'll have more healthy habits in your routine than you know what to do with (in a good way)!

5. Become an 80/20 rock star.

Lapses will happen, but don’t let them turn into a relapse. This is where a LOT of people fall off the healthy-eating bandwagon. The 80/20 rule is all about sticking to smart choices most of the time and loosening the reigns occasionally. If you overdo it one day, resist the urge to beat yourself up or restrict your calories like crazy to try and make up for it. And don't give up. One day isn't going to make or break you. Just get back to basics the next day... YOU GOT THIS!

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Chew on this:

It's National Cheesecake Day, July 30th! This Scoopable Strawberry Cheesecake is SO GOOD. (Fair warning: Its deliciousness may haunt your dreams.)

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