Where Do I Start?

Beginning a healthy eating regimen can seem daunting. I know it did for me, anyway. A year ago, I would have never touched asparagus, fish, cauliflower... Just to name a few. It involves experimenting and doing different things to each item to transform it into something new. Cauliflower by itself? Bland. Creamy garlic mashed cauliflower? Delicious.

Changing the way that you eat involves planning. You shouldn't shy away from this if you're thinking, "I don't have time for that." Somewhere, somehow, you can do it. Here are some tips to help you get started and stay on track.

1. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN! This is the most important part of trying to eat healthily. Take one hour (Sundays are the easiest day). If you're a mom, do it in the morning before the kids get up, or at night after they go to bed. Sit down and plan out a week of meals. This includes researching the recipes (complete with main dish and sides), which I have made a whole lot easier here with this blog!), and going over what ingredients you need. Check which ones you have on hand, and make a list of those that you don't.
2. Shop SMART. Buy the ingredients for the dishes you plan on making. If you have trouble with snacking or sweets, pick one item to buy. If you buy four different kinds of snacks, odds are you will end up eating four different kinds of snacks. My go-to snack is pretzels. You will always find a bag of pretzels in my house. But treat yourself to them in moderation.
3. Spend time in the produce section. Load your cart up with fruits and vegetables. If you are on a specific timeline, maybe make two smaller trips to the grocery store each week to ensure your produce stays fresh. Nothing is worse than making a salad with wilted greens and a squishy tomato.
4. If you're on a budget, stick to it. If you're really daring, save old receipts and calculate how much your everyday items cost in order to determine how much you will spend before you go. Weigh your produce and calculate the price ahead of time so that there are no surprises at the checkout counter.
5. It can't hurt to try. If you're skeptical of a recipe (which, I admit, I am sometimes) try it anyway. What's the hurt in trying? If you're not a fan, don't save the recipe. You don't have to make it again!
6. Stop eating when you're full!! Ugh, this was my worst habit. If a plate was sitting in front of me, I would keep picking at it until it was gone, even if I was full. A good tip for restaurant eating is to ask for a box right when you get your meal. If it's too big, split it in half right away so you aren't tempted to over eat. If you eat slower, you'll actually have a chance to feel full before it's too late. When contemplating seconds, wait 20 minutes after you eat. That's how long it takes for your body to realize that it's full. If, after that time, you're still hungry, grab some more. Nine out of ten times you won't be! 
7. Everything in moderation. Here's the motto I live by. I don't believe in the word "diet". I joke about it, but that's not what this is. This is more of a lifestyle. I am not calorie crazed (although sometimes that does come into play with certain items). I am more concerned with the content of what I am eating. Grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, etc. Make sure you are feeding your body what it needs. At the same time, I believe in eating the things you enjoy, say once a week. For example, if you're a pizza fanatic, maybe on Friday nights you treat yourself to a slice or two of pizza. There's nothing wrong with that... but again, everything in moderation. Don't eat the whole box!
8. Think about how you feel. If you're feeding your body good things, you're going to feel good. You'll have more energy, feel more refreshed, and I'm willing to bet you'll be happier overall. I know that I am.

I cannot stress the importance of planning. That is how I have made it through this week. I sat down, did some research, recorded all of my ingredients, and my mom went to the store (Thanks Mom!). I have breakfast, lunch, and dinner down for everyday this week. Sunday I'll start over again.

I challenge everyone reading this to try it. Feel free to share your experiences and questions with me on the blog. I'd love to help in any way that I can.

Hope this helps!