Trying to overhaul everything about your eating habits is difficult to do and may backfire by making you crave the "good old days" when you used to be able to eat anything you wanted. This can result in binges and relapses in your diet plan.
A series of small changes can sometimes help you reshape your lifestyle as well as your eating habits by easing you into developing lasting healthy changes.
Small Changes Add Up to Big Results
If you've been leading a sedentary lifestyle, now is not the time to go out there and try to run a marathon. Although the temptation is there, doing too much, too quick can lead to sore muscles or injuries, and can quickly convince you not to try exercise again. Focus instead on just increasing your daily steps.
Consciously Add More Walking to Your Day
- Park farther away from your destination.
- Get up from your desk and walk to deliver messages, instead of e-mailing or calling.
- Take a short walk on your lunch break or after dinner. Even walking ten minutes is a small positive change. As you become accustomed to exercising, increase your walking time gradually.
- Wear a pedometer so you can track your steps. Try to increase your daily total to 10,000 steps.
Stop Drinking Your Calories
- Substitute water for unhealthy sodas and corn-syrup filled juices.
- Substitute herbal teas for sugary, calorie-laden cappuccinos and other sweet coffee drinks.
- Fill a hot cup with unsweetened iced tea or black coffee to sip at the office. This keeps you away from the office coffee pot, where high calorie snacks also lurk.
Bring Your Own Food and Snacks
- Pack your lunch, so you can control how many calories and carbs you're eating at work.
- Carry small bags of nuts, or a piece of fruit with you during days when you'll be running errands. You won't be tempted to swing through a drive-thru or stop at the food court if you have your healthy snack with you.
- Be your own vending machine. Keep packages of 100-calorie snacks, raisins, sunflower seeds or sugarless gum in your desk at work. Also try to walk an alternate route so you're not constantly walking by the vending machines.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
- Give yourself a fighting chance. Don't keep snack foods in your house. If you have to walk past a half-opened bag of potato chips every time you go in to the kitchen, it can prove to be too tempting. Keep a bowl of fruit on your counter top instead.
- Don't keep ice cream in your freezer. Make it a special occasion treat. Going out for ice cream automatically helps with portion control, and there won't be leftovers to contend with when you go back home.
Putting small changes into effect will help ease you into a healthy lifestyle and give you the tools you need to keep going until you reach your goals.
