Eating healthy can be challenging. Some struggle with selecting the right choices, some struggle with the cost of fresh produce, others struggle figuring out how to plan and make a meal…especially when you’re in a hurry when you get home from work, others struggle eating healthy for 1-2, etc, etc, etc…there are all kinds of struggles and challenges to eating healthy but in reality they are just EXCUSES! You have a choice, you can let these challenges get in the way of you achieving a healthy lifestyle and in turn struggle with your weight and have increased risk for disease or you can face these challenges head on and work towards overcoming them. Even though I am a dietitian and this is my chosen profession, I sometimes struggle with this, just like you do…however I constantly work towards overcoming these barriers to make healthy eating a lifestyle. I am a firm believer in the concept “practice what you preach”…if I wasn’t trying to eat healthy, then why would anyone want to listen to what I have to say! I also believe that finding the balance in your life to eat healthy and make it work for your lifestyle is truly key to success.
Planning and time management are the best ways to overcome these challenges. Every Sunday I take a look at my freezer and my fridge and decide what meals I’m going to make for the week. I take the meat out of the freezer and make sure I have the appropriate ingredients for each dish. I will often times use the same meat in a few different meals to make things go smoothly…and example of this is I will take out a 2lb package of lean hamburger and brown half of it. I will use it in tacos, bbqs, pizza, spaghetti, etc. I can use the other half or meatloaf or meatballs, etc. Another easy way to prep your food is to put several skinless, boneless, chicken breasts in the crockpot on low and cook for a few hours…you can then use them in a variety of other dishes. The next step is to think like MyPlate and get the rest of the food groups included in your meal. You will need a veggie, fruit, and whole grain. Keep these items on hand and re-stock weekly. If you don’t have them, you won’t eat them! It’s also important to think about timing. We recommend a consistent intake of several small meals and snacks a day, which helps keep your blood sugars stable and aid in weight management. Eating late is common in my household due to the demands of ranching and farming. I recommend having a snack/light meal around 4-5 to tide you over until supper time. It may feel like you are eating more, but in reality, you will eat less when that supper time comes around at9pm because you won’t be as hungry! Eating a big meal late at night and then going to bed is not helpful…spread it throughout your day, but planning is the only way to make this happen!
When you don’t have a plan, it’s easy to resort to packaged, boxed foods that are high in sodium, fat, and calories and/or eat out. Since it’s just my husband and I, I will often cut my recipes in half so that we don’t have excess leftovers and we only eat what’s there which helps us use proper portion control.
Eating healthy does NOT have to be challenging. Change your way of thinking and attitude about it and then put it into action. You truly can be successful!
-Kelsey
