I will be the first one to admit that I struggle with healthy eating. I can work out all day long, but then I want to reward myself with pizza and fudge every time. The good news is, I know my weakness, and over the years have been able to figure out a few ways to “trick” myself into eating better for you foods as opposed to junk food. Admittedly, they don’t always work (sometimes you just have to have some ice cream, y’all) but these hacks have definitely helped me more times than not. So here we go, 6 hacks to trick yourself into eating healthy:
1.) Trick yourself into eating vegetables: This one may take some trial and error, but I have found ways to “sneak” in vegetables into my meals so I don’t even know they are there. For instance, I love smoothies, and when I make one with spinach, I legit cannot taste it. Score! Another great idea is a product I found out about called Easy Peasie. It’s a vegetable blend you sprinkle into food, genius! There are even new packaged meals and sides that are out that include veggies in them such as Oprah’s O That’s Good food line, which is comfort food with a healthy twist. You can also experiment with veggie noodles like cauliflower or zucchini. Sneaking veggies into casseroles that already have a ton of other flavor is another good way to add in a little extra veggie goodness.
2.) Slow down: In our society, we tend to do everything so darn fast, including eat. This does not give our bodies enough time to digest and signal to our brains that we are full, which can lead to overeating. Slow down, chew well, and enjoy every bite. This may help with indigestion issues and eating too much at once!
3.) End the happy plate mentality: I believe this one is especially “big” in the south where we are taught to “clean our plate”, but I have found myself doing it to my child by making her create a “happy plate” before she gets up from the table. It’s a hard balance because if it were up to her she wouldn’t eat dinner at all, but I also don’t want her to think she always has to finish her meal even if she is full. So how to combat this as adults? A couple of ways. Try eating from a smaller plate, or just put less on your plate. You can always go back for seconds if you are too hungry, but don’t put too much food on your plate then feel pressured to finish it just because it’s there!
4.) Have healthy snacks ready to go: When I’m hungry, I can be quite irrational and make decisions that aren’t the best. This includes reaching for the easiest snack, which is usually something not so healthy. To end this problem, I started making sure I always had healthy ready to eat snacks at my disposable so when I start getting hangry, I can just grab and go, and not worry about spending ten minutes slicing fruit or cooking up something that is better for me. Think fruit already washed/cut/peeled etc. sitting in the fridge, small bags of nuts already portioned out on the counter, egg muffins made and in the freezer to heat up and eat quickly, etc. At least for me, I’m less likely to grab chips or candy when healthy stuff is easily accessible.
5.) Try flavored water: As you may have heard, a lot of times when we are hungry, we are actually thirsty. And, if you are anything like me, drinking a glass of water is just not that exciting. However, fun fruit infused water with a twisty straw IS exciting! Make it fun and you are more likely to drink. Try this infuser bottle* and add in some oranges, apple slices, and blueberries!
6.) Make dinner fun: Don’t save your best china and flower vases for Christmas dinner, live a little and use them on a random Tuesday night. Who cares if it’s taco Tuesday, go on and be fancy! Pick some wildflowers, put them in a pretty vase, light some candles, or use a tablecloth. Whatever is fun for you and makes you happy! I feel like if dinner is pretty and fun, I am more likely to be ok with eating healthy food. Give it a try!
I hope you found these tips valuable and will share my 6 Hacks to Trick Yourself Into Eating Healthy, you never know who you will help by passing it along!
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