Christmas and Thanksgiving have passed and it's that time of the year when people start making their New Year's resolutions. The last of the leftovers are tucked away into the freezer and people are starting to look toward new, fresh goals for the year coming up.
Probably one of the most popular areas to see an increase in resolutions is the area of health and wellness. Many people make the pledge to "eat healthier, go to the gym more, go on a diet, etc." Sadly, by the end of January, through February, is when you begin to see people drop off; the number of new gym attendees take a drastic dip and people who were eating veggie burgers and fresh vegetables have swapped them back out for french fries and McDonald's.
Why?
Often, people lose drive and motivation as they begin to find their schedules packed out. But another layer is understanding that people may now know what they are doing when it comes to working out and eating healthy.
Especially eating healthy.
There are two major statements that summarize many people's mindsets towards healthy eating: it's boring and it's expensive. And I can't blame people for feeling this way. When you are eating a dry piece of grilled chicken breast and soggy green beans, while watching your co-worker is chowing down on a Five Guys hamburger, it's hard not to feel bored. When you consider that you probably (in your mind) spent more money and time on such a disappointing meal, while your co-worker may have spent no more than 10 minutes waiting for food that they only paid $12 for, why would you keep going with your dish?
The sad truth is, that's where many people are when it comes to eating healthy. That's where I was. I always thought that eating healthy meant only eating pale white baked chicken breast, limp boring salads, and guzzling down gallons of water (okay, keep drinking water y'all, don't cut that out). But when I actually got serious about my health and working out and learning how to properly fuel my body, I began to find ways to bridge my former love for unhealthy foods and flavors into a healthy alternative.
Now I'm not saying I am expert (yet - I'm working on that part though, give me a year's time), but I have learned to take what I like and what's good to me and for me and make it for my good. And that's what I want to share through this blog and website; sharing my love for food, but make it fun and interesting this year.
For now, I'll share my tips and advice (experienced from my past) on how you can begin to eat healthier:
Figure out what you like to eat: You've probably seen bodybuilders or fitness experts share some of the things they eat on the regular and thought to yourself: "Yuck. That looks boring/nasty/dry." That's okay. Not everyone can eat chicken 55 different ways. Not everyone likes broccoli. Not everyone can eat 2 dozen eggs for breakfast with 1 cup of steel cut oatmeal. Everyone has different taste. Now, there may be a reason you need to be very specific with what you eat for health reasons, but overall, many people still want to enjoy what they eat. So do it. Think about your favorite foods; foods you like to eat or cook on the regular and keep that in your routine. Just change how you prepare it. Instead of frying your chicken, maybe you can use your new Air Fryer you got for Christmas. Instead of making mashed potatoes, try roasting them in the oven for a few minutes. Shake it up a little bit.
Look up new recipes: You may be thinking "I don't know any other way to prepare (insert ingredient here)." But we live in a time where the Internet provides so much information at our fingertips. Google, Pinterest, cooking apps, blogs, websites, shoot go old school with a cookbook...there are so many options to finding new and interesting ways to try new things. Watch cooking shows on TV, too. Be inspired by what is around you. Look up what's trending. Search for specific ingredients you have. There is a recipe somewhere that's perfect for you!
Don't overhaul at once: Many people (including me in the past) try to change all at once. More power to you if you can do that, but let's be real; most of us can't change these habits all at once. We have to take baby steps forward. Start small. Maybe you cut back on soda and fried foods by two days a week. Maybe you cook at home three times this week. Maybe you try a new vegetable this week that you've never had before. Maybe you try a new recipe (from this website - shameless plug there) you've never tried before. Take small steps forward and see how you adjust.
I know you want to change how you eat, and it won't be the easiest journey ... but it will be worth it. And I'm here to help the best that I can. We will grow through this journey together!
We about the love of healthy eating all year this year (or at least 350 days)!
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