3 Keys to Healthy Eating
On Monday I spoke at a brown-bag discussion for students in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh. I shared “3 Keys to Healthy Eating,” explaining what the three most basic principles are when transitioning to a healthy lifestyle. I’ve copied the handout below.
3 Keys to Healthy Eating
Be conscious
- Focus on your food while you’re eating it.
- Taste it.
- Enjoy it.
- Love it.
- Even if it’s not healthy food! Just establish that relationship with your mouth! It’s essential!
- And then stop eating when you’re no longer truly enjoying it. This can’t be explained sufficiently in a bulleted list. Establish the relationship and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
- Read a book on nutrition.
- Believe it or not, knowledge is motivating.
- Go easy on yourself
- Guilt isn’t quite as effective as knowledge, planning and analytical awareness
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- Analytical awareness means figuring out why you ate it, what your thought process was, and how you can prevent fudge-ups in the future by changing your plans and thoughts.
Focus on the right foods
If you focus on the right foods, you don’t have to worry quite so much about quantity. Really, it’s true. The right foods fill you up faster and keep you satiated longer– it’s good on the glycemic load– so you eat less
Think beans, low-sugar oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, whole wheat pasta and brown rice
You will learn to love healthy foods and you’ll gain a taste for them– but it may take longer if you’re entrenched in your habits– just start with Key #1
After you’re satiated on healthy food, you can move on to the other things in life you enjoy!
Have a Plan
o Fast food joints and vending machines ain’t got your health in mind. If your plan is to just “go with the flow,” you’ll have average or below-average health.
o Keep healthy snacks stocked in the car and in your bag
+ Unsalted or low salt peanuts, raisins and walnuts, PB and whole wheat crackers (baked not fried) and hey, they’re good! Stop wincing!
+ Apples & fresh veggies like carrots and celery.
+ Dried fruit
o STAY AWAY FROM PROCESSED SUGAR. It just makes you hungrier and actually is linked with many more diseases than just overweight. Eat nuts, whole grains, or fruits instead.
o Drink water if you get a sugar craving. It often curbs the craving.
Contrary to popular opinion, you will enjoy life no less if you eat healthy food. In fact, I am certain you will enjoy life much more if you do eat healthy. Junk food only makes us happy for five minutes, then less happy for hours. Healthy food not only makes you happy for five minutes (if you learn Key#1, being conscious and enjoying food), but then keeps on boosting you up for hours.