Dieting is hard. And stressful. And every time I have tried to “diet” I end up either 1) really sad or 2) gaining weight…usually from stress eating and being sad LOL. I’m a weak-minded individual when it comes to carbs, okay?! Anyway, I’ve come to realize that eating healthier doesn’t have to be life-changing, and we can all do a few things here and there to work towards a cleaner diet! Here are my few (very few*, I’m not trying to run your lives, people) tips on how to live a ~slightly~ healthier lifestyle.
1. Opt for the small
I’m from the south so my order in high school when I went through any type of drive-thru included a large sweet tea. LARGE. That’s about 220 calories, ALONE. Not including the French fries I ordered…The fact is, is that no one has the same metabolism his or her whole life similar to that in high school. A simple way to cut calories is to simply order the small drink instead. It might not seem like a huge difference, but if you cut your drink size from 32 to 12 ounces every day, that’s 140 ounces you have cut out of your diet right there, which equals to about 1026 calories over the course of a week! It’s the little things in life, guys.
2. Find vegetables you actually like
It’s super easy to rattle off the benefits of spinach, broccoli, and kale but if you absolutely CANNOT stand the taste of them, then it’s a moot point. I live by the motto that life is too short to eat things that you don’t like, which might be a juvenile outlook, but it’s gotten me this far. Experiment with all different types of vegetables and find a couple that you actually enjoy and incorporate them into your diet somehow. I’ve even heard that people mix vegetables into fruit smoothies, but I’m not at that point in my life yet, and that’s extremely deceptive.
3. Indulge only on holidays and special occasions
If your family is anything like mine, then you have people who can absolutely THROW DOWN in the kitchen. Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Easter, you name it, you can guarantee a feast will be served up. These are the times where, for me, portion control is out the window. My logic is that I had a salad on the 23rd so of course I can have TWO servings of mashed potatoes on Christmas. The point I’m trying to make here is that if you’re trying to monitor what you eat throughout the year, then on special occasions, you won’t feel as bad for eating that second piece of broccoli and cheese casserole (aka the BEST way to eat broccoli, don’t argue with me on this one).
4. Try not to eat after 8 pm
As I’m writing this at 11 pm eating popcorn, this is the hardest rule for me to follow because I am the QUEEN of late night snacking. Like, I’m convinced Taco Bell invented the 4th meal just for me. But if you’re trying to watch your weight, eating after 8 gives you little to no time to burn off those calories you just consumed. So keep an eye on the time and try to get dinner in sometime before then (Unless of course your boyfriend breaks up with you, in which case, CALL ME and I will personally bring a gallon of ice cream to your door).
5. Drink. More. Water.
Have you ever been craving something but you don’t know what? Nine times out of ten that’s your body’s way of telling you that you are dehydrated and it wants water, like, YESTERDAY. I don’t have to tell you guys that drinking water continuously throughout the day is the best thing you can do for your body (blah blah insert commonly known facts about the benefits of water blah). Next time you’re hungry, drink a huge glass of water and wait 20 minutes. If you’re still hungry, then of course- eat! A big part of learning how to live healthier is learning how to read your body and what it needs, and when it needs it.
Like I said before, these are just a few quick and easy tips if you want to start eating a little better but are not ready to completely change your lifestyle, which is okay! Remember, everything in moderation, and you didn’t gain 20 lbs. overnight so don’t beat yourself up if you don’t lose 20 lbs. overnight. In fact, don’t even worry about the number on the scale, if you like how you look and you’re not in danger of any cardiovascular disease or anything, then getting on a scale will only add to your anxiety. And in the end, come to terms with your body. It protects you more than you’ll ever realize and it loves you. It’s time we start loving our bodies back.
