Do you struggle with eating healthy? Do you want to be better, but feel like anything worth doing is worth doing right, all of the time? Are you someone that copes with tough feelings by emotionally eating, or by seeking out the easiest option?
I am.
Most people I know do this or have done this at some point in their lives. It’s a hard habit to break. It’s an especially hard habit to break because of the focus on perfectionism that we all live with.
Here’s the thing- it’s okay to emotionally eat sometimes. It’s okay to grab the easy option sometimes.
It’s what you do most of the time that matters.
For far too many of us, including myself lately, the desire to eat healthy, even when stressed, has fallen to the wayside.
When you get worked up- sad, stressed, angry- it’s so easy to want to grab a slice of pizza, or a donut, or just snack mindlessly throughout the day on pretzels, chips, and other salty goodness. When those feelings hit- most people don’t want to take time to cook something healthy. Even though you know your body wants healthy food, and you want to feed it that, it just seems like too much some days.
If you’re always busy- with work, kids, your family, other obligations, you want something easy and quick that doesn’t take what little time and energy you have left- especially towards the end of the day. This means, for most people, that you end the week upset with yourself, and your body, because you didn’t do what you wanted to do.
You want to eat healthier, right? You want to be more in control of your eating habits when life gets hard. For myself, I realized recently that the focus needs to be on making the better choices as often as you possibly can and doing whatever works for your lifestyle to allow yourself to eat healthier.
It also requires being kind to yourself when you aren’t perfect.
An example? If you’ve watched any of my videos, or read anything on my social media accounts before, you know I’m a huge advocate for organic, whole foods. I believe you should start your day with organic greens juice because it’s a nutritional powerhouse. I believe that when you want a snack- it should be fresh, organic fruit, or organic nuts, or organic veggies with organic hummus. Are you seeing a theme here?
I started noticing that when I wanted a snack- and I’d look at options around me- I’d choose pretzels instead of a regular apple, because the apple wasn’t organic. Or if I was having a rough day- I’d grab something sweet instead of taking the time to juice the fruits and veggies I had on hand.
Don’t do this, please.
Food is food.
Don’t think of food as good or bad- food is food. If you can choose between a banana and a bag of chips- eat the piece of fruit. Beyond this, figure out what works for you. When do you want to stress eat? Do you grab the easy to eat snacks because you frequently don’t eat a healthy lunch, or breakfast?
Part of making a commitment to healthier eating is being realistic about your routine. There’s always a way to make different eating choices.
- Maybe you find a meal delivery service for the meal you have the hardest time with.
- Maybe that means setting aside time on the weekend (or a free day) to meal prep and keep things in the freezer.
- Maybe you take fifteen minutes each night to prep breakfast for the next day- like overnight oats, or assembling a healthy smoothie with the plan to blend the next day and head out the door.
- Do you hate grocery shopping because you’d rather do something else? Get your food delivered!
- Do you hate cooking, or don’t feel you have the time? Find a meal delivery service, or if you have the budget for it, find restaurants with healthier options! Or juice bars that deliver to your workplace or home address.
Take a good hard look at your routine, and you’ll know where your challenge areas are. From there, it’s just planning for better options in a way that works for you and your budget. There are always choices. As often as you can- choose organic, whole foods. It’s what your body will thrive on.
You’ve got this!
In Gratitude,
Robin
Robin Lee is a medical intuitive, author, mentor, gratitude advocate, and speaker who has helped thousands of people around the world understand the language of their bodies. Robin believes that our bodies innately know how to balance and heal themselves if given proper care and support. Visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter, where she shares tips, tools, and techniques to honor our bodies and heal our lives!
Image courtesy of Andres Aryton.
