Whether you are transitioning your eating lifestyle or thinking about a complete change you need to be prepared for something –
Eating healthy is simple, but going healthy is not easy.
When you commit to a healthier way of living the first thing to understand is you are making an absolutely and positively awesome decision. The second thing to understand is there are many choices that can make things complicated and overwhelming real quick if you let it.
A common thing I hear about eating healthy is that it is so overwhelming, which is a legit concern when you think about all the information out there and questions that have to be answered. Where do I start? Organic or non-organic? Why is everything so expensive? Is this a bad ingredient? What is vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or whatever other tarians are out there?
It is easy to see how a fantastic decision like choosing a healthier lifestyle can be immediately followed by worry and anxiety when you start trying to answer all these questions. Letting it get complicated will give your brain an excuse to get you back to your old way of living. I definitely don’t want to do that. So to keep that from happening it is important to keep things simple and this post shares 11 ways I learned how NOT to get overwhelmed.
11 Ways Not To Get Overwhelmed
Educate yourself.
This is very important. The body is complex and everything you put in it has an effect, which is either positive or negative. It is important to know the basics of your bodies chemistry, how to nourish it and keep it balanced. Plus you will realize the more you learn about things, the more simple healthy living becomes. This book How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease
Start small.
Patience is important when it comes to your body and it is best to start small with only one or two achievable goals at a time to work on. Remember small becomes big over the long-term so don’t rush it or you will likely stress yourself out. My transition took place over the course of year where I tried different things, introduced new foods, threw out others, went to new restaurants, cooked different meals and ultimately found the LIFEstyle that worked for me. It definitely did not happen overnight.
Stay away from rigid and restrictive diets.
I always hear people talk about their fasting diets, calorie counting plans, and putting their bodies into ketosis. I get it and understand some of these plans have a very specific purpose. But what I wanted was something that was sustainable for life. Diets with strict regimens, meal portions, and restrictive habits are hard to maintain for a long period of time and short-term healthy eating just was not going to work with my lifelong healthy eating goals.
Go to the farmers market.
If you have a farmers market near by and don’t go to it regularly then you should absolutely change that. The market is a cheap and simple way to get your fridge full of what is in season. Plus you may just want to give a new vegetable a try or take the family out and get them excited about good, healthy, and local food.
Find quick and healthy items.
Remember fast is usually about convenience and not health. This is something you definitely need to figure out and one of the largest challenges people face when going healthy. Challenge ….. yes, impossible …. no. Stock up on healthy snacks at the store, prep vegetables and snacks ahead of time, and have plant-based protein shakes at the ready. The important thing here is to plan ahead and already have the healthy snacks with you.
You don’t need to buy the most expensive items.
The reality is organic, healthier, and less processed foods are more expensive. Huge thumbs down to that one but that is the world we live in. To do this healthy living thing though you don’t always need to shop at Whole Foods and buy the expensive stuff. You can use this “Dirty Dozen List” to prioritize which foods you buy organic. You can buy a large bag of black beans and use your crock-pot to cook a huge batch instead of bunch of little cans. Rice is ok to go store brand with. If you go with a plant-based lifestyle then you can say goodbye to that huge meat bill. If you are sticking with meat though then you should go organic or grass fed with the higher fat meats like steak, ground beef, or pork. For leaner meats like chicken or turkey there’s no need to buy grass fed and organic if you need to keep your grocery costs down.
Avoid the “P” word.
Processed is bad. To keep this simple just look at the ingredients. If you need to use google translate to pronounce them then just put it back and find something you can understand.
You don’t need to be a chef.
It certainly helps being a good cook but it is not a pre-requisite to cook healthy meals. There are tons of cookbooks out there that can help you prepare a grocery list and cook healthy meals. I have learned that plant-based cooking is actually pretty simple, I just needed a bit of an assist, which we discovered with this cookbook, The How Not to Die Cookbook: 100+ Recipes to Help Prevent and Reverse Disease
Don’t hesitate to try new foods.
What is the worst thing that will happen?
Add great restaurants with healthy options to your list.
There is a huge vegan trend going on right now. Not saying you have to go to a vegan restaurant for healthy options, but it is a bit symbolic of what the restaurant industry is paying attention to these days. Find restaurants or places to eat out with menu options that suit your health and taste needs. Chefs are getting creative with healthy options and some of the results are absolutely tasty.
Have fun.
This by far is the most important thing I have learned. It is a lot harder to get overwhelmed when you are having fun.
I hope these 11 lessons help you on your journey. Don’t let the process and amount of information out there overwhelm you because eating healthy is not just simple, it is fundamental. When it comes down to it, you only get one body during your stay on Earth and you should know how to nourish it so it can be at its best as long as possible.
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