14 Practical Ways to Make Healthy Eating a Lifestyle

IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A PERSONAL TRAINER the number one thing I see my clients struggle with the most is the nutrition aspect. I have designed many diet plans by request, created meal guidelines, and had clients journal everything they eat. For some, these things can be a great start and after seeing results they will stick to it. However for many of my clients, generalized diet plans don't fit their individual lifestyle, and they end up "falling off the bandwagon" and resorting back to old habits. Let's face it, having kids vs. being a college student require very different lifestyle plans, and buying a diet book at Barnes and Noble and expecting to follow it sounds ludicrous to me. To maintain a healthy lifestyle it takes much more than will-power. In fact, trying to rely on will power alone normally ends in failure. It takes truly WANTING to feel good, be energized, be healthy, and also UNDERSTANDING why certain foods should be avoided. Education mixed with determination = success.

So is there an easy way to lose weight fast? If you are still asking yourself this question you aren't getting the point. No - there isn't an easy way to lost weight FAST, and anything out there that tells you there is will end up screwing you over in the future. Take it from me, and believe me when I say that before I knew anything about my body, I tried every fat burner out there. Many times I either felt like I was going to have a heart attack, or noticed that when they wore off I could eat anything in site. Not to mention the way they affected my sleep, moods, and when I finally got off of them I instantly gained 10 pounds. DON'T TAKE THAT CRAP. Be smarter than the marketing, because if there were actually a pill that made us burn fat it wouldn't be on the shelves at GNC. My other mistake was dieting. I followed the Atkins diet strictly for about two years. When I finally started introducing carbs back into my diet (the slow way), I packed on twenty pounds, and my metabolism didn't go back to normal for about sixteen months. Take it from me, no matter how desperate you are or how cool the maple syrup detox plan sounds, you are wasting your time. The best way to go (the ONLY way to go) is to LIVE a healthy lifestyle. That way, when that wedding comes up, or your significant other surprises you with a trip to the beach, you don't have to diet, you are already prepared. Looking and feeling your best also increases quality of life and energy to give to yourself and others. It decreases your risk for hundreds of diseases This doesn't mean you have to live off of chicken breasts and raw broccoli, it means you switch your taste buds for healthier options. It also means you decide to STOP FAD DIETING and start maintaining some consistency in your life. Instead of focusing so much on losing weight (hinting that you are UNHAPPY with your body), shift your goal to FEELING ENERGIZED, and watch the weight naturally come off. Do it for a month and any sort of processed food will make you so sick you won't ever want to eat it again. Here are 14 steps to help you make healthy eating a lifestyle.

14. EDUCATE YOURSELF
This can be hard when there are so many articles on the internet about what to do and what not to do. However, when I say educate yourself I mean to reference scholarly articles first and foremost and to look into things like organic vs. non-organic, cage-free eggs, free range meat, or where your favorite chocolate bar is made. The power to make choices that will benefit you comes from knowledge and education.

13. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE
When it comes to the diet and fitness industry, many times the marketing campaigns are "Get your dream body back" or "Lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks" or "Eat what you want and still lose weight", and many times even fitness advertisements hone in on our insecurities to attract business. While sometimes these marketing campaigns can motivate change, most of the time they do exactly the opposite. Focusing on being unhappy with your body and believing that a new diet or workout plan will give you exactly what you have been wanting in a matter of days or weeks is not sustainable motivation, but a great business tactic. If you find yourself being inconsistent with your diet and exercise program, always looking for the next diet or "cleanse" to try (you swear you will actually stick to this one though), being constantly upset with yourself for "cheating", and never reaching your goals, it is time to change your mindset. Motivating yourself with negative reinforcement NEVER lasts. Instead, be smarter than the media and begin re-defining your motivation for wanting to eat healthy. Re-define why you work out. Make your motivation POSITIVE things such as eating good to feel good or to have more energy to give to those you love. Workout not to lose weight, but to be strong and fit. Workout to live a pain-free life. Weight loss, health, strength, and anything else you desire will all come as a result of changing your perception.

12. GET YEARLY BLOOD TESTS
I truly can't stress how important this can be to your motivation and drive to change your eating habits. I have seen so many of my clients struggle with energy levels and small health issues, only to find out they were missing crucial nutrients in their diets. Blood tests show many important things, such as triglycerides, HDL, LDL, iron levels, and so much more. If you workout regularly and eat healthy, but are still gaining weight, hormone imbalance may also be a factor especially in women over 50. Keep regular on blood tests and take the steps to PREVENT disease before it has a chance to come on.

11. DON'T KEEP JUNK (INDULGENT) FOOD IN YOUR HOUSE
When I say junk food this also includes food that you have a hard time not indulging in. For many people this includes things such as candy, Nutella, peanut butter, ice-cream, pizza, nuts, etc. There is no shame in getting rid of foods like this due to lack of so called will-power. Will-power only goes so far when you bring addictive chemicals and hormones into the game. Massive amounts of sugar have also been shown to release large amounts of dopamine into the brain (many addictive drugs have the same effect), thus causing bigger problems such as addiction to junk foods. For those with already addictive personalities, removing junk food from your house is CRUCIAL. Everything in moderation may be a bad option for those who are physically addicted to sugar, and abstinence from sugar is truly the best option in these situations.

10. DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE STARVING TO EAT

We have all been there. You get home and all of the sudden it just hits you. Yes, you just bought vegetables and fresh meat, but by the time you cook it you will be eating your arm off. So, you resort to the goldfish or potato chips in the pantry (that you shouldn't have in there in the first place)! You tell yourself you are only having a few until the insulin kicks in, blood sugar goes up, your brain tells you to keep eating more, and you are down to the bottom of the bag. Make sure you get rid of anything that is processed in your pantry and always keep healthy snacks cut up and ready to eat in Tupperware. Also, always keep a snack in your purse, car, pocket, or wherever is convenient for you so your blood sugar doesn't drop that low. Almonds and beef jerky (without MSG) are a great option and you can find them at gas stations in emergency hunger situations.

                                             9. PREP, PREP, PREP.
There are so many great videos on YouTube that will show you how to prepare week long meals for families, singles, and couples. All it takes is a Sunday trip to the grocery store and about 1-3 hours of prepping. When you compare this to time you would spend worrying about what to eat all week and preparing something every day, this is the most time efficient way to do it. Make sure you wash, cut, and bag or Tupperware all your fruits, veggies and legumes, and marinate your proteins for fast meals.



8. CUT BACK ON THE BOOZE.

I know, party pooper! Don't get me wrong here, I love my happy hour and also live in one of the most micro-brew saturated cities  in the U.S, but if you want to look hott you have to cut back on this one. What I have found works for me is one day (normally weekends) a week, anything goes. If there is a birthday, wedding, and my brothers graduation all in the same weekend, I give myself two days and don't drink sugary drinks like margaritas and cosmos. The main reason to cut out alcohol is because when you drink, you stop burning fat. This in turn leads to storing more fat and dealing with a hangover the next day, which also means greasy, unhealthy food choices the entire day after. Not worth it! If you HAVE to have a glass of wine at the end of the day, limit it to one. For some people, a glass of wine a night may actually aid in weight loss/health benefits if it is a source of major stress relief. Note please that I did say one glass (I know you got excited for a second there). If you find yourself stuck in a rut however, this should be the first thing you cut out.


7. STOP EATING CARBS IN THE MORNING.

Wait, what? But what about my healthy oatmeal and whole grain pancakes? Truly, think about this one from a scientific point of view. When you wake up in the morning, your blood sugar is low because you haven't eaten in 4-10 hours (depending on how much you sleep). Whatever you decide to eat for breakfast is going to determine the fate of your blood sugar levels for the day. If you eat pancakes with syrup and orange juice, your blood sugar levels will raise drastically and never even back out for your entire day. This is why when we eat diets rich in processed foods and sugar (carbs) we have fluctuating energy levels and always "crave" more carbs. The best thing to do is to eat a high protein breakfast such as eggs, egg whites, avocado, any breakfast meat, and maybe some salsa. Omelettes are perfect.This sort of breakfast will not raise your blood sugar to high levels and you will have a consistent feeling of energy throughout the day. Is coffee okay? Let's rephrase that questions to: is killing someone okay? No - didn't think so. So yes, coffee is okay.

6. KNOW WHAT TO ORDER.

Going out to eat is definitely something to try and do less of while attempting to eat healthier, however it is a part of life. Knowing what to order is crucial, and in all honesty, a salad is sometimes the worst option at a restaurant. If you can avoid it, try to stay away from pubs and brewery type food if you are going out to eat as most of it is fried. These days it is pretty normal to ask for tacos with lettuce wraps instead of tortillas, or a burger without the bun. I normally will always order some sort of protein such as chicken, steak, or salmon, and then substitute a house salad for my side instead of a starch like potatoes, rice, or french fries. If you are at a place like Tokyo Joes or Qdoba, get a naked bowl without the rice. If you can avoid it, never go into a restaurant starving as appetizers typically aren't healthy. If you can't avoid it, ask for fresh veggies instead of chips or order a side salad as an appetizer. Make it easy on yourself by choosing restaurants that don't serve free bread as an appetizer or tortilla chips with salsa (a lot of mexican places). At breakfast places, when they ask, "what kind of toast would you like with that", I always say, "no toast, thank-you".  Lean protein and veggies are your best bet, always and forever!

5. SLOW DOWN AND SLIM DOWN
We have all heard that it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that it is full, right? Use this to your advantage! I am not saying you need to chew each bite fifty times or take bites smaller than you would feed your pet hamster, but try pausing between each bite and actually enjoying what you are eating. Most of the time we overeat because we are preoccupied with something else (Facebook, kids, T.V, multi-tasking, talking on the phone, driving). If you can, try not to get online or focus on other tasks while you are eating. In addition, practice portion control. Restaurants normally serve portions that can count as 2-3 meals for me. Get over the mentality that you have to clean your plate and start paying attention to your body. It will tell you when it is full, and it is your responsibility to listen.

4. DON'T EAT IF YOU AREN'T HUNGRY

One of the most common questions I get is, "should I eat little meals 6 times a day or big meals 3 times a day?" Truly, there are hundreds of scholarly articles I could pull up right now that would support both theories. I know fitness models who eat six meals a day, and I know fitness models that eat three meals a day, and both are podium champions. What really matters is how active you are, what kind of job you have, how hungry you get throughout the day, and the quality of your meals. People that are active typically find themselves needing meals every 3 hours or so or else they become dizzy. People who have desk jobs, or on the contrary people who have extremely unpredictable jobs that make routine impossible, like EMT's or bartenders, can maybe get by on three bigger meals. The main point is that you should listen to your body. If you aren't a breakfast person, don't force yourself to eat it. Wait until you are hungry (not starving), and then eat something that will nourish your body. Also tune in to what you are craving as it is a sign of missing nutrients in your diet. BEWARE the fake hunger feeling that is caused by dehydration though, and always make sure you are staying hydrated. If you are unsure whether you are hungry or dehydrated, drink an 8oz glass of water before eating.

3. WATER, WATER, WATER
If you don't drink enough water you are putting yourself through so many unnecessary hardships when trying

to lose weight. Water is your best friend when it comes to losing weight and does so many other things for your body as well. Not only that but it also makes your skin glow, look younger, and detoxes toxins out of the body. Add a little lemon for even more health benefits. Go buy yourself a hip bottle, drink up, and celebrate the fact that you can drink out of the facet in America, because in many places around the world staying hydrated is a chore.

2. DITCH ALL THE FAKE STUFF
I can't sugar coat this one (no pun intended). Get rid of everything in your pantry or fridge that contains ANY of the following ingredients: artificial flavors, enriched wheat, hydrogenated or fractionated oils, monosodium glutamate (MSG), SUGAR, high fructose corn syrup, potassium and sodium benzoate, artificial coloring, acesulfame-K, sucralose, aspartame, BHA & BHT, propyl gallate, sodium chloride, soy, potassium sorbate, soy lecithin, polysorbate 80, canola oil. Every one of these ingredients is somehow chemically modified to structures not suitable for human consumption. Many have been shown to lead to cancer and most come from waste products themselves. Ditch the margarine, fake sugars, sugar-free ANYTHING, fat free or low-fat ANYTHING, sodas, candy, crackers, cereals, etc. Think of these things as literally nuclear. It is unfortunate they are even allowed on grocery shelves.

1. BREAK UP WITH SUGAR
Seriously though, where should I even start. Sugar is the biggest player out there and more and more people are starting to see it. Sugar contains NO essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, proteins). It is an empty calorie. Sugar is more addictive than cocaine and it leads to diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, obesity and liver disease. Japan just became the first country to require all processed food manufacturers to reduce sugar by 30% in all products. Studies have shown that cancer cells rapidly multiply in the presence of sugar. Sugar decreases the immune system. I could go on and on and on... but truly, sugar MUST go. Get rid of it for good and don't go back no matter how weak you may feel. It may seem hard at first, especially living in a culture that includes sugar in almost everything, but understand that this is also the reason why many Americans are facing life threatening, preventable disease in this day and age. BREAK UP WITH THIS ASSHOLE.

So there you have it. You may have heard many of these things before, but if you abide by these recommendations you will be on the right path. It is all about changing your habits, and honestly, not being lazy. In our fast paced society it is easy to get fast food on the go instead of packing a lunch the night before, yet we end up being unsatisfied with our bodies, trying to get by on the little energy we have, becoming ill, and then getting down on ourselves. Nutrition is not only important to weight loss, it is crucial to health. Food is medicine. If you take anything from this article, don't think about all the things you CAN'T eat, rather think about all the benefits of eating healthy and using food as fuel. Truly, there are zero negative effects from eating things that are natural and nothing but negative effects from eating things that come from a chemical. Stop trying diet after diet and failing over and over. It is 2014. Time to take control of our health, stop making excuses, and live life feeling confident, energized and happy.