My Personal Tips for Healthier Eating

I'm not a licensed nutritionist. I don't know much about eating right. And I'm a bonafide, straight up junk food LOVER! So, the following tips pretty much have no validity behind them other than it being just my opinion and things that have worked for me.

These are some things I've found that work for me as far as eating better and choosing a healthier lifestyle.

1. First of all, CHANGE YOUR WAY OF THINKING. If you think it's something you can't do, you won't. Excuses are always easier to come up with than reasons.

2. Have a plan. Don't just go into something, whether a change of eating or an exercise plan, with no idea how you want to accomplish it. Consult people you respect or know their stuff and listen to their advice.

3. Recognize there will be a LOT of things you will have to say no to. Social situations, no matter what they are, generally accommodate temptations and deviations from your plans. Go into situations prepared to say no to a thing or two.

4. Drink more water. Drink more tea. And stay away from sugary drinks and energy drinks. Period. Trust me, I crave them STILL because I LOVE soda. But they hold absolutely no nutritional value to your body and work against anything you are trying to accomplish.

5. No more fast food. For quick eats, make a rule that you go to restaurants that don't have drive-thru windows. And remember that there's nothing more quick than grabbing an apple before you leave.

6. Halves and Little. For me, this means discipline. Restaurants in our great country always give WAY more food than we need. If you have a meal, only eat half and save the other half for the next day or the next meal. Even if you don't feel quite full, it's plenty of food for you. Discipline yourself to stop. And if you're at home, use salad or smaller plates for your dinner. We naturally fill our plates (at least I do). The smaller the plate, the less food which means fewer calories. And only take one helping :) If you need sweets, go with a couple 'fun size'  or 'mini' candy bars, but keep it within reason.

7. Find the best source of accountability that suits your personality. If it's a running buddy, find one. If it's a partner in dieting, get one. Share ideas. For me, my accountability comes in writing about it in blogs and just talking about it with people.

8. As much as I dislike fruit, berries are SUCH a good source of nutrition and they fill me up more than I would think. And eat nuts. Almonds and pistachios are my favorites. Not sure about the health benefits to those, but they are good fillers to snack on.

9. Be a jerk about running or taking time to exercise. I only say this because of my personality. Things come up and I tend to try to get them done before I run....and then my day is soon taken and over. If you want to exercise, be nasty about it make it happen. It's too easy to let other things take their place.

10. Celebrate your success. Even if it's being able to run one block instead of walking one block, celebrate it. Or have weekly celebrations (within reason). Example = one week without fast food, take the cash you would have spent on the food and buy something else with it. Or better yet, give it away to someone or some place that will use that money for something greater.

Bottom line....keep moving and eat right. Watch you labels, know what you're eating and pay attention to what your body is telling you. Like I said, these are just some things that worked for me. They may not work for everyone (or anyone), but I wanted to at least share it.