4 Ways to Boost Your Motivation to Eat Healthy
Have you ever decided to improve your diet, perhaps as a New Year’s resolution? You may have realized that maintaining your motivation to eat healthy can become challenging over time. Your commitment to eat right can fade all too quickly in the face of a busy life.
How can you find fresh motivation to eat healthy? There is no best way to maintain a healthy diet, because different methods work for different people. Likewise, there are many ways to improve or recapture your motivation to eat healthy. Trying several approaches can help you find one that works for you. In the process, you will get ideas for ways to boost your motivation if it starts to wane again. Need inspiration? Here are four methods for maintaining your motivation to eat healthy.
1. Focus on How Healthy Eating Benefits You
You know that eating more lean protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains while cutting back on foods high in saturated and trans fats, sugar and sodium is good for you. But do you know why? Learn and remind yourself of the many health benefits of good nutrition to motivate you to stay the course. Healthy eating can help you:
- boost digestive function
- have more energy
- improve muscle and bone strength
- improve self-esteem
- live longer
- reduce your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer
- strengthen your immune system
2. Build a Healthy Eating Group
Whether you are looking to improve your motivation to eat healthy or exercise consistently, it can help to get others to join you. For example, swapping healthy recipes or making regular exercise dates with friends is fun and helps everyone stay accountable. In other words, no matter how busy your schedule, you are more likely to stick with healthy habits if you have activities with friends to look forward to.
Medical professionals can help you get fit. You can get helpful tips from a medical professional, such as a primary care provider, dietitian or exercise specialist. Find someone who can help at a CHRISTUS Health location, such as a fitness and wellness center, near you.
3. Try New Things
Eating healthy can get a bit stale if you keep putting the same foods on your plate. Reinvigorate your motivation to eat healthy by literally spicing things up. For example, you could:
- buy a new cookbook or check out food blogs for inspiration
- experiment by preparing meals that use familiar ingredients in new way
- grow your own favorite types of produce, such as tomatoes or bell peppers
- pack a different healthy snack to take to work each day
- pick a fruit or vegetable to try each time you go grocery shopping
- use herbs and spices to flavor food instead of salt
Trying new things is good advice when it comes to exercise, too. Bored with your workout? Take an exercise class or try your hand at a new sport.
4. Rediscover Motivation to Eat Healthy by Celebrating Your Successes
When you achieve a goal, whether it is preparing a healthy meal for three consecutive days, losing five pounds or running a 5K, reward yourself. For example, you could stream a movie you have been meaning to watch, get a massage or listen to a new episode of your favorite podcast.
Want to partner with a medical professional who can help you plan and maintain motivation to eat healthy? Find a primary care location near you.