How many times do we say to ourselves, “Ok, I need to start eating healthy”? How often do we go all-in on a new diet and end it with a giant crash-n-burn?! Being healthy doesn’t have to involve dieting and dieting doesn’t mean you are being “healthy”.
During my journey to healthy living, I have discovered quite a few “staples” if you will, when it comes to everyday food choices. These simple steps/rules are not complicated. They are not rocket science and if you practice these 3 things on the daily, I promise you are 75% there!
You see, we, and when I say we I mean society, have over-complicated food, how we think of it, our relationship with it and our trust with it. Over the years, there have been countless advertisers and brands that tease us with phrases like “fat-free” and “low fat” and “healthy” and “good source of”. It’s on boxes, packages, commercials, and countless advertisements. So who in the world should we believe?! Here’s what I think are 3 solid actions you can take today to empower you in your everyday food choices.
- Drink more water. I can’t stress this enough. We are all dehydrated. Water is the healer of so many health issues today. Water helps our organs work properly. Water hydrates our skin, our organs, and our brain. Water is a filter for toxins. Water helps our immune system. Your goal should be 1/2 your weight in water every single day. If you way 120 lbs, try to drink 60 oz of water a day.
- Read every single label. When shopping, if you pick up a package, can, jar, bottle or sack of food, read the ingredients. Note: I did not say read the nutrition facts. I said READ THE INGREDIENTS. If you do not recognize any of the 1st 5 ingredients, put it back on the shelf. If one of the first 5 ingredients is canola oil, hydrogenated oil or high fructose corn syrup, also put it back on the shelf. If you can’t recognize what you are consuming, your body can’t either.
- Eat with intention. Every time you put food into your mouth I recommend that you stop and think “is this food feeding me nutrients or is it feeding my taste buds and cravings?” We are all human and we all have cravings. But, if you can eat with nutrients in mind 80% of the time, you are winning and your body will thank you by being healthier and working harder for you!
So, my little healthy nugget, try to stop all the dieting and start implementing these 3 strategies into your daily routine. You will start to see change; a positive change in the way you see, treat and eat food.
“Given half a chance, the body will heal itself…by itself” -Joshua Rosenthal
What’s on Your Fork?
-Shelley
PS. I have a 14-day Real Food Reset Challenge that starts January 6th. You can learn more and join me by clicking here !