It can be tough to stay on track while eating healthy. There are so many temptations out there, and it’s easy to get off track. But if you want to stay healthy and look good, you need to find a way to stay on track. In this blog post, we will discuss 10 ways that will help you stay on track while eating healthy!

Tip #1 – Find a role model

It can be helpful to find someone who is already eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle. This person can be a nutrition expert, a healthy foodie friend, or even a celebrity. Seeing someone else succeeding at eating healthy will inspire you to do the same.

Humans operate using ‘mirror neurons’. This means we naturally copy the behaviour of those around us. So, if you want to eat healthily, find someone who is already doing it and emulate their behaviour.

Tip #2 – Set goals

Setting goals is a great way to stay motivated. When you have something to strive for, it’s easier to stay on track. So sit down and make a list of realistic goals that you want to achieve. Then make sure you create a plan on how you’re going to achieve those goals. Writing down your goals and staying committed to a planner can help!

Goal setting does not have to be boring. It can be adventurous and exciting. For example, you can:

• Make a list of healthy foods that you enjoy eating.
• Find some new recipes to try out.
• Create a grocery list of healthy foods.
• Challenge yourself to eat a certain number of fruits and vegetables each day.

Remember that goals should not be too restrictive. If you make goals that are impossible to reach, you’ll likely get discouraged and give up. If you are starting to get bored or have achieved your goals, do not be afraid to make new ones!

Tip #3 – Create a menu

Planning out your meals for the week can help you stay on track while eating healthy. When you know what you’re going to eat, it’s easier to make healthy choices. So take some time to create a menu for the week. You can even batch cook or meal prep so that you have healthy meals ready to go when you’re feeling hungry.

An example of a healthy weekly dinner menu would be:

• Monday: Quinoa bowl with roasted vegetables or a healthy wrap.
• Tuesday: Curried lentils with rice or roasted sweet potatoes.
• Wednesday: Spaghetti squash with tomato sauce or a mango salad.
• Thursday: Sautéed kale and grilled chicken or vegetable stir fry.
• Friday: Fish tacos with cabbage slaw or grass-fed beef and onions
• Saturday: Veggie burger with sweet potato fries or lentil soup.
• Sunday: Slow cooker chilli or roasted cauliflower with garlic

As you can see, there are endless possibilities when it comes to eating healthy. And planning out your meals can make it easier to stick to a healthy diet.

Tip #4 – Get rid of temptation

If you want to stay on track, you need to get rid of anything that might tempt you off course. This means getting rid of unhealthy foods from your house and office and avoiding situations where you know you’ll be tempted to indulge. Another way to get rid of temptation is to find a healthy alternative to your favourite unhealthy foods.

For example, you can swap out your favourite candy bar for a healthier option like a fruit and nut bar. Other perishable foods such as Chips can be swapped for air-popped popcorn. Finally, sugary drinks such as soda can be replaced with healthier options like unsweetened iced tea or water with a splash of lemon.

Tip #5 – Find a support system

Eating healthy can be tough, but it’s a lot easier when you have a support system. So find some friends or family members who are also trying to eat healthily. This way, you can help each other stay on track.

Tip #6 – Take baby steps

Start by changing one thing at a time. If you try to do too much at once, you’ll likely get overwhelmed and give up. So pick one area to focus on, whether it’s eating more fruits and vegetables or cutting out processed foods. Once you’ve made that change, move on to the next one.

Tip #7 – Use an app

When searching for an app, it’s helpful to use one that can be customized based on your specific metrics such as height, weight, and activity level. This will help you get more accurate results. A great place to look for apps that will help you stay on track with your health goals is WellTech. If you are trying to lose weight and track your nutrition intake, using an app can be a game-changer.

Tip #8 – Find a coach

If you’re struggling to stay on track, it might be helpful to work with a coach. A coach can help you create a plan and hold you accountable. By having expert guidance, you’ll be more likely to stick with your healthy eating goals.

Tip #9 – Join a community

If you want to stay on track, it can be helpful to join a community of like-minded people. There are many online communities that you can join, or you can even find a local group. This way, you’ll have support and motivation from others who are also trying to eat healthily.

Tip #10 – Be prepared

One of the best ways to stay on track is to be prepared. This means having healthy snacks with you so that you’re not tempted to eat junk food. It also means planning out your meals so that you know what you’re going to eat ahead of time. If you’re prepared, it’s much easier to make healthy choices.

Some foods that you can prepare are:

• hard-boiled eggs
• roasted vegetables
• quinoa or rice bowls
• grilled chicken or fish
• fruit salad

If you are travelling, it can also be helpful to search for healthy restaurants in the area that you are visiting. By planning ahead, you’ll know where to go when you’re feeling hungry.

Conclusion

These are just a few tips to help you stay on track while eating healthy. Just remember that it’s important to find what works for you and to be consistent. If you slip up, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track and keep going. You can do this!

If you’re trying your best to lose weight but the number on the scale is going up, then this list could be the reason.

1) Whole grains cover your whole plate

Yes, they’re healthy – especially compared to refined grains. However, there is such a thing as having too much of a good thing, says registered dietitian and nutritionist Toby Amidor. Two cups of cooked whole-wheat pasta, for instance, adds up to 1670kJ. Try to limit yourself to a 1-cup serving (same goes for brown rice, quinoa, farro and barley) and round out your meal with plenty of veggies and some lean protein.

2) You’re obsessed with avocado toast

Ultimately, it’s about quantity, and it’s easy to overdo it. “Avocados contain a healthy dose of nutrients and heart-healthy unsaturated fat, but eating an entire avocado or using half an avocado daily for your avo toast can rack up hundreds of kilojoules rather quickly,” says Amidor. “An entire avocado contains 1347kJ and close to 30 grams of fat – that’s 45 per cent of the daily recommended amount of total fat!” About a fifth of an avocado is the right amount for a healthy snack.

3) You eat straight from the bag

You take just one handful and then another… maybe even more. At the end, how much are you really eating? Grab a small bowl next time so you can measure a reasonable portion first.

4) You like to unwind with an adult beverage

You probably know that margaritas, wine and other kilojoule-laden mixed drinks can make you gain weight, “but even having a low-kilojoule beer and wine can add up quickly and cause weight gain,” says Hultin. Some people have a hard time with weight loss if they’re drinking much at all.

5) You’re nuts for nuts

Nuts have a healthy reputation, which is mostly deserved. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, protein and healthy fats. However, the serving size is probably smaller than you think. For example, 14 shelled walnut halves and 24 shelled almonds equal one serving. Make sure you count them instead of eating them by the handful.

6) Not enough rest

It is certainly possible to gain weight by not getting enough sleep because it can make you crave comfort foods rich in carbohydrates and fats. Sleep deprivation is known to cause hunger hormones to fluctuate throughout the day, but you can be especially susceptible late at night when you are less active and trying to unwind.

7) You indulge in fat-free cookies, bars and other diet goodies

Nothing comes for free, is it? Treats that are fat-free are typically loaded with sugar, making the calorie count soar (and making you gain weight). Instead, try a few small pieces of the real thing.

8) You reward exercise with a “healthy” treat

Exercise is great for anyone, no matter if they are trying to lose weight or not. But rewarding the effort with food is a different story. A muffin, for instance, can have around 1670 kilojoules! However, the answer is not to forego the exercise but the answer is to retrain yourself to see the walk/activity as a reward. If that’s too difficult at first, at least opt for non-food rewards (like a pedicure or new book download).

9) You’ve gone too low carb

Carb cutting may be working – to a certain extent. However, if you aren’t eating carbs or are eating a diet very low in carbs, most likely you will be filling your plate with protein and fats. But the kilojoules from too much protein or fat can also lead to weight gain.

10) You eat too lightly during the day

Many people believe that it’s a good idea to ‘eat lightly’ – basically semi-starve themselves – throughout the day in order to lose weight. However, that inevitably drives them to overeat in the evening. Instead, you should eat at the earliest signs of hunger and stop when you’re just slightly full. Avoid going starving yourself.

Just think of it: Burning nearly 200 calories in a matter of minutes. Aren’t such calorie-burning workouts ideal for those who cannot find time to exercise as a result of their busy schedules?

These effective and time-efficient workouts can be incorporated into your regular training routine by simply making some adjustments. Because whether we like to admit it or not, we can always find 20 minutes to improve our health and fitness.

So here are the 4 calorie-burning workouts:

1) TABATA TRAINING

Tabata training is a short yet intense workout style consisting of bodyweight exercises like Push-ups, Burpees, and Squats. The structure of the program is quite simple: you push yourself as hard as you can for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds until you complete 8 rounds.

There is evidence showing that Tabata training can burn as much as 15 calories per minute or 400 calories in a half-hour. Tabata training boosts your metabolism and helps you burn more calories.

2) INTERVAL RUNNING

Running at a steady pace is enough to produce performance gains when you are just starting out. Eventually, if you don’t increase the difficulty of your workouts, you will plateau and stop making progress. One effective way of avoiding this frustrating situation is interval training. And it’s not just for performance, interval training is great for weight loss, too.

Interval running consists of alternating periods of intense effort and active recovery. An interval run usually starts with a few minutes of jogging to warm up, followed by equal durations of sprints and easy running, typically lasting somewhere between 30 seconds and two minutes. You can do an interval run in just 15 minutes! Running intervals is great because the hard effort of the sprints burns calories and stimulates the afterburn effect, which means that calories continue to be burned after your workout. 

Although interval training can be done in several different sports, including swimming and cycling, running is still the most efficient way to burn calories.

3) HILL TRAINING

No matter how good a workout is, it gets boring without variety. By adding hill running to your training routine, you can change up your routine and increase intensity. 

As you train on hills, you not only burn more fat by increasing the training resistance, but you also improve your form by forcing you to raise your knees higher than usual. Plus, inclines are great for strengthening your muscular system.

4) JUMPING ROPE

This combination of upper and lower body workouts is not only great for your health, enhancing heart performance, and torching significant calories, but it is also perfect for improving your coordination. 

Jumping rope is great exercise, but you have to make sure your knees and hips are not irritated by its pounding. Try to land gently and cushion the impact as much as possible. The right shoes can make all the difference and keep you skipping rope long after the others have quit or tripped up.

Have you ever noticed how much smoother your day is when you sleep well and wake up feeling rested? This is because the way you start your day really sets the tone for the rest of your waking hours.

Certain morning routines will leave you feeling scattered and stressed all day long. So, here are some examples of bad morning habits you should avoid – as well as what positive morning routines you should establish instead.

1) Don’t Eat Dessert for Breakfast

You should avoid eating cheesecake or cookies, of course, but a lot of breakfast staples – like cereal, waffles, and muffins – are high in sugar and carbohydrates, as well. Despite the fact that these ingredients taste delicious, once you come down from your sugar high (which happens much sooner than you may think! ), you will be left irritable and hungry for more food.

Healthy smoothies are a great substitute for sugary, carb-heavy meals. It’s a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get in some veggies along with healthy fats and protein via coconut milk, bone broth protein powder, collagen, or other healthy mix-ins.

2) Eat Only If You Are Hungry

Breakfast is believed to be the most important meal of the day, and for some people, it is. However, others prefer not to eat in the morning, and forcing them to do so would probably cause more harm than good. 

Instead of beating yourself up for not liking breakfast, try intermittent fasting (IF). One of the easiest types of IF is time-restricted fasting, or 16/8, where you fast for 16 hours (typically from dinnertime through lunchtime) and eat only for 8 during the day. The benefits of intermittent fasting include weight loss, reducing inflammation, maintaining heart health, and stabilizing blood sugar.

3) Morning Workouts Are Important

Not everyone likes mornings. If you enjoy working out in the evening – or if you avoid it altogether – you may want to set an alarm clock.

The best way to boost energy levels first thing in the morning is to get your blood pumping. Evening workouts can leave you tossing and turning if you do them too close to bedtime, but switching to morning sweat sessions can improve your sleep quality.

Additionally, morning workouts increase your metabolism, helping you burn more calories throughout the day and increasing your productivity. You’re more likely to choose healthier foods at mealtime if you exercise first thing in the morning.

Start your morning routine the night before to make waking up easier. For instance, you should have your lunch packed and ready to go, your workout clothes laid out, and any other preparations you need to make for the next day. When you reduce your early morning tasks, you’ll get more sleep and be less likely to hit snooze and miss that all-important workout.

4) A Day Worth Of Calories And Sugar In A Latte Is Not Good For You

Do you like your coffee with a little milk? That’s a good way to start the morning. Adding all the sugar, cream, syrups, and other ingredients to your daily drinks can add up to a lot of calories without you even noticing. This is before you even eat anything.

As a result of all the sugar and preservatives, you end up snacking on food, even though you have already eaten the caloric equivalent of a meal (or more). You can imagine how much it adds up when you multiply that by all the coffee drinks you are ordering.

If you still need caffeine in the morning, consider bulletproof coffee. Here, black coffee is mixed with a healthy fat like grass-fed butter or ghee and then combined with MCT oil. This way, the cup of coffee isn’t filled with empty calories. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. While healthy fats give you a boost, they also make you feel full.

Once you eliminate these bad habits, you’ll soon find you have established the best morning routine that will keep you energized throughout the day.