I do not believe in fad diets, nor do I believe in emptying your pantry and starting over. I believe in small, baby steps towards positive food changes. So often, we set ourselves up for failure when we do an overnight overall on our diet. “I’ll start XYZ diet on Monday” seems to be a very common, but misleading phrase among most Americans today.
In order to “eat healthy”, you do not have to eat “rabbit food” or put some mysterious powder into your water. I do not take the “all or nothing” approach when coaching my clients and teaching online classes. I believe we need to show ourselves grace every single day. And every morning, we have the privilege of starting fresh; making small healthy choices in the foods we will eat that day.
Eating with intention is a top priority for me, and it’s the foundation in which I build my career. Every time I eat, I think to myself, ” are these foods about to fuel me? Are they going to boost my immune system and keep me strong? OR “Are these foods feeding my tastebuds and my emotions”. And, as always, I am going to be completely transparent. I am human and I DO, on occasion eat with my emotions. I have hormones. I get sad. I go to parties. I splurge. But, I encourage you today, to try and implement the 90/10 rule into your life. Heck, I’ll be happy if you strive for 65/35. 90% of the time, I eat with intention. I choose foods that will keep me healthy and strong. I consume foods that will lower inflammation in my body so my cells are strong to fight off toxins, sickness & disease. And 10% of the time you ask? Well my friend, 10% of the time I splurge. I eat the junk food and have an adult beverage. That is where grace comes into play. It’s all about balance, but too often, society has it backward (90% junk/10% healthy).
If we just take 1-2 small positive food habits at a time and implement those into our daily routine, over time, those small habits become HUGE life rituals in which our bodies will thank us. If you were to start fresh today and just do 2 small shifts in your diet, here is what I recommend:
- Drink more water. Drink 1/2 your weight in ounces a day. Staying hydrated is my #1 rule to being healthy
- Eat your greens at least 2 times a day. I don’t care if it’s fruits or veggies, just eat greens twice a day
You can do it. You can start small. Love yourself. Respect your beautiful body. Fill it with nutrients and I promise… it will smile at you and show you much love.