For years, I desperately wanted to stop feeling soo out-of-control around food! All I wanted was to consistently eat healthy, but I didn’t know how to get there. It felt like the harder I tried, the more I would binge. Who relates?
Your Game Plan To Consistently Eat Healthy
Here are the 5 guidelines I followed to begin consistently eating healthy and stop the binges:
Redefine ‘Eat Healthy'
If your definition of health doesn’t include mental, emotional, and social health – there is your first problem. Consistently eating healthy should mean eating in a way that makes you feel your best most of the time. And, there is no ONE definition of health. Might eating to feel your best, acknowledging that healthy eating looks different for everyone, be easier to stick to?
Prioritize 3 Meals A Day
To consistently eat healthy, the first step is to build 3 meals spread throughout the day. A meal is a balanced plate (think of an entree from a restaurant) that includes a carb, a protein, and a fat… with a variety of colors. Allow yourself to eat enough to feel full and satisfied.
Be Realistic
It’s easy to make decisions that feel good at the moment, but consistency is about a sustainable lifestyle.
- Is it realistic to say you’re never going to eat a cookie? Processed food? When you’re not hungry? A whole bag of chips? No.
- However, is it realistic to prioritize slowing down and allowing yourself to enjoy whatever and whenever you choose to eat? Yes!
So, when finding a way of eating that works for you, ask yourself: could I realistically sustain this long-term? If not, what needs to change?
Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mentality
The biggest mistake you can make when consistently eating healthy is all-or-nothing thinking. Red flag statements may sound like:
- I blew it. I’ll just be better tomorrow.
- Well, I can’t have one cookie without having all the cookies.
- I will eat everything I want on vacation and get back on track when I get home.
When you notice that all-or-nothing thinking, catch yourself and reframe that thought! What might middle ground sound like?
Avoid 4 Waking Hours to Pass without Eating
You may not be able to trust your hunger and fullness cues (or they may be non-existent right now!). That’s okay. Instead, you’ll have to practice regular eating, which means eating about every 3-4 hours, regardless of hunger. By doing this, your hunger and fullness cues WILL come back. Does this need to be the case forever? Absolutely not! Is this an important practice when rebuilding consistency around food? Absolutely yes. It’s not a rule, just a tool.
How To Consistently Eat Healthy TLDR;
Too long didn’t read: It’s so normal to feel unsure how to get your eating consistent after years of binge eating behavior. But, by redefining your definition of health, prioritizing balanced, scheduled meals, focusing on big-picture goals, and avoiding that all-or-nothing thinking, you will get there!
