The summer season is drawing closer and if you’ve got a holiday booked, you’re probably thinking about getting your diet on the right track. While it’s important to eat a healthy, balanced diet all-year round, sunnier days give people that extra boost of motivation and drive to make a lifestyle change for the better.
So if you’re wondering how to keep your diet in check, why not follow these tips?
Plan ahead
Not planning your meals can leave you feeling hungry and result in you impulsively grabbing the nearest thing. This can lead to bad and unhealthy habits; so to avoid this, plan your meals in advance.
Each Sunday, sit down and write a meal plan for the week ahead. That way, you’ll know exactly what food to stock in your cupboards and you can include the freshest, healthiest ingredients without having to worry about them going stale or mouldy.
Eat seasonally
You’ll soon become bored if you stick to the same meals each week, which will make straying off the healthy track somewhat more appealing. A good way to get around this is to switch up your meals and ingredients.
Tailor your meals to the changing seasons, ensuring you eat foods that are in high-season in order to get the most variety. Of course, this doesn’t mean leaving year-round foods – like apples and bananas – behind, so ensure you still include these in your diet, too.
Don’t skip meals
Skipping meals should be avoided at all costs, so make sure you don’t miss out on breakfast, lunch or dinner.
If you avoid food, it will have negative effects on your body and overall wellbeing, such as fatigue and poor concentration levels.
Excuses such as “I don’t have time for breakfast” simply won’t cut it. Make time by waking up a little bit earlier or prepping your food the night before.
Indulge wisely
While you should eat healthily, it’s still okay to indulge in moderation. This doesn’t necessarily mean eating foods that have a high number of calories, though. For example, treat yourself to the lobster or steak on the menu. Just choose any extras wisely; instead of deep-fried chips, go for baked sweet potato wedges, or rather than a cream dressing, have vinaigrette.
Take a breather
If you’ve had a bad day at work or feel a little stressed, it might be tempting to reach for unhealthy comfort foods. While you may enjoy the taste at the time though, the after effects can leave you feeling lethargic and perhaps more down than you felt before.
So next time you have an impulse to reach for food when you’re not really hungry, stop and take a few breaths. It might seem silly, but sitting and clearing your mind for a few minutes can help you to forget about any sudden urges, making you feel calm and relaxed.
