October 9, 2019

14 simple ways to stick to a healthy diet

14 Einfache Wege, um eine gesunde Ernährung einzuhalten

A healthy diet can help you lose weight and give you more energy. It can improve your mood and reduce the risk of disease. Despite all these benefits, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle can be difficult.

Here are 14 simple ways that will make it easier for you to stick to a healthy diet.

1. start with realistic expectations

A healthy diet has many benefits including potential weight loss. However, it's important to have realistic expectations. For example, if you put pressure on yourself to lose weight too quickly, your plan to achieve better health could backfire.

Researchers have found that obese people who expected to lose a lot of weight were more likely to abandon their weight loss program within 6 to 12 months (1).

On the other hand, more realistic and achievable goals can keep you from getting discouraged and could even lead to higher weight loss.

Summary: Realistic expectations increase your chances of maintaining behaviors that are conducive to a healthy lifestyle.

2. think about what really motivates you

Reminding yourself why you're making healthy choices can help you stay on track. It can be helpful to make a list of specific reasons why you want to get healthier. Keep this list handy and refer back to it whenever you feel like you need a reminder.

Summary: When you're tempted to fall into unhealthy behaviors, it can be helpful to remind yourself of something that will help you stay on track.

3. keep unhealthy foods out of the house

It can be really hard to eat healthy when you're surrounded by unhealthy junk food. If your family members want these foods in the house, then they should at least be hidden away and not lying around openly and invitingly.

The saying "out of sight out of mind" definitely applies here. Leaving food lying around in plain sight in different areas of the house has been linked to obesity and increased consumption of unhealthy foods (2, 3)

Summary: Keeping unhealthy foods out of the house, or at least out of sight, can increase your chances of staying on track.

4. don't use an "all or nothing" approach

One of the biggest obstacles to achieving a healthy diet and lifestyle is "black and white" thinking. A common scenario is that you've had a few unhealthy appetizers at a party and then decide that your diet is ruined for the day anyway, so you can stuff yourself with all the unhealthy foods you want.

Instead of thinking of the diet as ruined, try to put the past behind you for the rest of the day and choose healthy, unprocessed foods that contain protein. This will help you feel full and satisfied instead of stuffed and frustrated.

A few foods that aren't on the plan won't make a big difference in the long run as long as you balance them out with healthy foods.

Summary: Not giving in to the urge to judge your day as "good" or "bad" can prevent you from overeating and making poor food choices.

5. always have healthy snacks with you

Maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult when you're away from home for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, when you get too hungry, you can end up grabbing whatever is available. These are often processed foods that don't really satisfy hunger and that's not good for you in the long run.

Having healthy, protein-rich snacks on hand can help you keep your appetite under control until you can eat a full meal (4).

Some examples of good portable snacks are almonds, peanuts and beef jerky. You can also consider filling a small cooler bag with hard-boiled eggs, cheese or cottage cheese.

Summary: In case you might not be able to eat a full meal for several hours, take healthy, protein-rich snacks with you when you are on the road or traveling.

6. change your training and diet at the same time

You may have heard that you shouldn't change too many things at once when trying to improve your health. In general, this is good advice.

However, scientific research has shown that if you make both dietary changes and physical activity changes at the same time, the results tend to support each other.

In a study conducted with 200 people, the group that started a healthy diet and exercise program at the same time found it easier to maintain these behaviors than the groups that started with either diet or nutrition alone and added the other later (5).

Summary: Simultaneous changes in diet and exercise increase your chances of being successful in making healthy lifestyle changes.

7. have a battle plan before you eat out

Trying to maintain a healthy diet when eating out can be a big challenge. Fortunately, there are ways to make this easier.

It's best if you have a strategy in place before you go to a restaurant, rather than being overwhelmed when you get there

Summary: Having a plan before you eat out can help you make healthier food choices.

8. don't let traveling throw you off track

If you're traveling for work or for fun, being outside of a family area can make it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few tips:

Research in advance what restaurants and supermarkets are available locally.
Pack some healthy food that won't spoil quickly.
Challenge yourself to stay on track for most of your trip.

Summary: You can maintain a healthy eating plan while traveling. All it takes is a little research, planning and dedication.

9. practice mindful eating

Eating mindfully can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Take time to enjoy your food and appreciate its ability to nourish you. This increases your chances of making successful, lasting behavioral changes.

In one study, overweight and obese women who ate mindfully made significant improvements in their relationship with food over a four-month period (6).

Another study of women suffering from binge-eating disorder found that binge-eating episodes decreased from 4 to 1.5 per week and the severity of these episodes decreased. This happened within just 6 weeks (7).

Summary: Adopting a mindful eating approach can help you build a better relationship with food and reduce binge eating episodes.

10. document and monitor your progress

Keeping a record of the foods you eat in a food diary, online or with an app can help you stick to a healthy diet and lose weight (8, 9, 10). Measuring your progress in your exercise program can also be beneficial and provide the motivation that can help you keep going.

Researchers reported that overweight women who were given pedometers walked further and lost more weight over the course of 3 months than women who did not use this tool (11).

Summary: Tracking your food intake and exercise can provide motivation and give you a sense of accountability. Studies show that this helps you stick to a healthy diet and leads to greater weight loss.

11. find a partner who does the same

Sticking to a healthy diet and exercise plan can be hard if you do it alone. Having an exercise or nutrition partner can help, especially if it's your significant other (12, 13).

When researchers compared data from over 3,000 couples, they found that when one person made a positive lifestyle change, such as increasing physical activity, their partner was more likely to follow suit (13).

Summary: Having a partner to guide you through lifestyle changes can improve your chances of success.

12. start the day with a protein-rich breakfast

If your first meal of the day is well balanced and includes adequate amounts of protein, you are more likely to maintain stable blood sugar levels and not overeat during the rest of the day (14, 15).

In one study, overweight women who ate at least 30 grams of protein at breakfast felt more satisfied and ate fewer calories at lunch than women who ate a low-protein breakfast (15).

Summary: Eating a high-protein breakfast helps you stay full and can prevent overeating later in the day.

13 Recognize that it takes time to change your habits

Don't be discouraged if it takes longer than expected to adopt your new healthy lifestyle. Scientists have found that it takes an average of about 66 days to turn a new behavior into a habit (16).

Eventually, a healthy diet and regular exercise will become automatic.

Summary: Do your best to stay motivated and focused while adopting a healthy lifestyle. On average, it takes about 66 days to turn a new behavior into a habit.

14. find out what works best for you

There is no perfect way of eating that works for everyone. It's important that you find a way of eating and exercising that you enjoy, that you can stick to in the long term and that you can follow for the rest of your life.

The best diet for you is one that you can stick to for the long haul.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/14-ways-to-stick-to-a-diet#section14

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