6 Habits to Help You Eat Healthy...Forever

Healthy Eating Habits to Follow

When you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, chances are pretty good you’ve seen the empty promises for fad diets, weight-loss pills, and sometimes even strange dietary recommendations. Yes?

You might get short-term results that way. But more often than not those methods lead to yo-yo dieting and a never-ending cycle of weight-loss and weight gain. Been there, done that?

If you want to manage your weight, making adjustments to your diet will help you tip the scale in the right direction.

Here are six habits to help you eat healthy....forever!

1. Set Big & Small Goals + Measure Progress

Let’s say you’ve got a big number in your head. Lose 50 pounds. Maybe lose 100 pounds. That’s great. But it’s not going to happen overnight. Set a big goal. Then break it down into smaller goals you can measure from week to week to track your progress, like:

• Eat 2-3 cups of vegetables per day
• Eat 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day
• Drink at least 640 ounces of water per day
• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day

You’ll develop healthy habits this way, and they’ll help you achieve your big goal.

2. Set a Daily Calorie Goal + Stick to It

Too often, when people decide it’s time to shed a few pounds, there’s a tendency to undereat. You know...after a couple of days of barely eating, or even not eating, you start feeling tired and hangry. Don’t do that, OK. 

Set a healthy, daily calorie goal (make sure you’re eating enough), and stick to it. On average 1,200 to 1,800 calories per day + regular exercise, will help most adults lose weight.

3. Practice Portion Control

We’re not so great at guesstimating portion sizes. Did you know the typical restaurant meal is usually about two serving sizes? If you’re dishing up at home using the eye-ball method or you’re going for seconds or thirds, you might be overeating there, too.

Want to get serious about practicing portion control?

• Read food labels.
• Pay attention to serving size.
• Use measuring cups or a food scale to measure portion sizes

4. Eat a Balanced Diet...Mostly Whole Foods

Here’s another diet “hack” that will improve your health, boost energy levels, and support weight management goals. Eat a balanced diet. Avoid or limit processed foods and fast foods like pizza, burgers, and fries. Most of your food should come from:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Fish & lean meats
• Nuts & seeds
• Legumes

5. Have Dessert + a Cheat Meal

 No. This shouldn’t be your daily ritual. But go ahead and have dessert now and then, and enjoy a cheat meal. Restrictive dieting typically ends in failure, frustration, and a bad relationship with food. Instead of making certain foods or meals “off limits,” allow yourself to indulge now and then.

6. Plan Ahead

Ever wait until you’re feeling really hungry to start meal planning? FYI...that’s a terrible time to go grocery shopping. You’re a lot more likely to make impulsive purchases and buy less than healthy food. 

Instead, plan ahead. Make a meal plan for a few days or a week. Then shop for all the ingredients ahead of time. You’ll save time and money, and you’ll eat healthier.

If you’re too busy for planning, shopping, and cooking, just check out the complete menu of Portion Control meals. Pick your favorites, all made from fresh ingredients, and let us do the rest. You’ll have dinner on the table in minutes.