Dieting.  This one little word terrifies so many women.  It’s also a word that I think should be kicked out of our kitchen vocabulary!  Too often, our consumer culture seeks to lure women into quick weight-loss fads or diet crazes.  However, these plans are often not sustainable, successful, or healthy.  In contrast, healthy eating emphasizes making small changes to how one eats that will fit into their lifestyle for the long-term and improve their overall health and fitness.  It means understanding that the food choices you make should be centered on their ability to make you feel better and have more energy.  Thus, setting healthy-eating goals, rather than a desired, immediate (numeric) result, is so much more beneficial.  

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While it is of course easier said than done, here are five quick tips to help you set and succeed in your personal healthy-eating goals:

Create a plan

Eating healthy becomes that much easier when you're following a self-guided meal plan for the week.  Every Sunday evening, I sit down and write out what I will have for each meal throughout the day.  And if you have the time to do meal-prep, that’s even better!  After a long day of work, eliminating the choice of what to eat and having something readily available will help eliminate any temptations you may face — I know this works for me!

Be accountable

Let’s face it:  If you’re like me, you are twice as likely to wholeheartedly fulfill a commitment when you have something or someone to hold you responsible.  This concept doesn’t escape the kitchen.  Thus,  I highly recommend keeping a food journal.  Not only will this prevent you from pretending you didn’t have those extra slices of cake, but it also allows you to track your habits, tendencies, and progress.  Another option is having an accountability partner — someone who you can report your daily meals to and go with on a healthy-eating journey together!

Incorporate variety

I know far too many people who have given up on their nutrition goals because they’ve gotten stuck in a rut.  Earlier I mentioned creating a meal plan, and while it’s very effective, it can also be detrimental if it causes you to become too repetitive.  There’s nothing worse than getting tired of what you’re eating!  When I’m preparing food, I like to use ingredients with a lot of different colors and recipes from a lot of different cuisines.  Eating healthy doesn’t mean eating boring!

Quality > Quantity

Now this one may seem pretty self-explanatory, but it’s the truth!  High-quality, flavorful food is simply more satisfying, gratifying, and fulfilling.  Research shows that foods with high protein, fiber, and water levels have the greatest satiating power in contributing to a quicker and longer lasting feeling of fullness.

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The food choices you make should be centered on their ability to make you feel better and have more energy.

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Be flexible and forgiving

Healthy-eating goals are not meant to deprive you — enjoy that extra glass of wine or dinner out with the girls!  All foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle as long as they are practiced with moderation and balanced with exercise.  Life is too short not to enjoy!

 

Krista is a senior at Yale University. Just a small-town Canadian girl, her biggest passion is, of course hockey, and all sports. Now, she is pursuing a future career in which she can incorporate her passion, as well as her love for people and the media, in to her everyday activity.  Visit her blog at kristayipchuck.wordpress.com.

 

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