Eat Healthy and have Fun Doing It!
Consuming food and feeling good about it can sometimes be a challenge. When you think about what to eat, especially when you make your daily or weekly plan, you might often struggle to come up with meal ideas. Finding the healthiest ingredients to prepare a nutrient-dense meal can make you feel disconnected from your food and focused only on finding new ways to eat healthy. Numbers, calorie counting, amount measuring – all of it can take a toll on how you view food.
Thankfully, there are always ways to create an interesting and incredibly enjoyable meal. Your goal to eat healthy isn’t impossible- all you need to do is make it fun! As San Jose dietitians who are experts on the subject, here is what we suggest you do!
Make a List - it is all about bringing different flavors and textures to the plate. You have the opportunity to try new things and still care about your health. Next time, try to enrich your menu by mapping out a few new places around the San Jose area. Or, you can check out the local market and take your pick!
Be Flexible – learn that you can’t always eat healthily despite all your best efforts. And that’s okay, as long as you stick to an overall healthy diet. You can eat healthy and increase your variety of foods by following a more flexible schedule.
Stop Thinking about the Labels – sometimes, you need to stop thinking about the labels of the foods you buy. This will only make you think you need to eat certain foods and avoid others. Your health depends on what you eat but also on your overall relationship with foods. So don’t put any extra pressure on yourself when doing your weekly grocery shopping.
Develop Self-Compassion – examine your entire relationship with food. And although living in a diet culture can make this hard, it’s important if you want to get rid of all the unhealthy comfort foods. But this is all for the greater good of being happy and loving what you eat.
Say “Yes!” -to the habit of eating healthy, say yes to the possibilities that stand in front of you, and welcome the incredible new lifestyle, including healthy foods. Incorporate them into your diet as often as possible, and give yourself a chance to start anew. After all, this is the only relationship worth nurturing.
Remember that food is not your enemy. In fact, it can be very fun and exciting if you only give it a proper chance. But if you only eat healthy and stick to a tight schedule, it doesn’t mean that you have a good relationship with whatever is on your plate. On the other hand, testing your culinary abilities and giving new flavors a chance can be a very exciting experience! Plus, it will surely put a smile on your face. Start your healthy journey today – we promise, you won’t ever look back!