The age-old conundrum. You know what to do to be healthier, yet why is it so hard? Or, maybe you’re not quite sure what to do or where to start. Many of us understand the basics, ie: eat less, move more, eat healthier foods when you do eat. Putting this advice into practice is somehow not as easy as it sounds. Perhaps it IS as easy as it sounds, but what you need is a realistic structure to make it feasible.
Good nutrition is far more important than what most of us are taught. In fact, doctors typically get zero to 5 hours of nutrition classes in all of medical school. So really, it’s a systemic and societal issue even more than an individual one. Fortunately, this is changing rapidly these days as people educate themselves on the power of what we consume: not just food, but everything. And a lot of doctors and other healthcare professionals, traditional and nontraditional, have dug into the research (and done their own) on how nutrition can, in fact, heal.
We are going to cover why eating healthy can feel so hard, and what to do about it to start to turn things around.
What exactly does eating healthy mean? Defining this is the first step toward actually doing it. Eating healthy is a general, vague description, and that’s part of the confusion.
The truth is, you could probably find a million different answers to this question, depending on who you ask. Plus, I believe the concept of bio-individuality is real. In other words, what works for one person may not work for another. What is the most healthy or ideal diet and lifestyle for person A, is not for person B. And it seems like every year or two, there is a new diet trend or weight loss fix that captures public attention and media or social media.
However, there are some foundational tenets to healthy eating that are worth going over. Breaking down this idea into digestible (no pun intended!) nuggets will make it seem less hard:
Here are a few of the top reasons why eating healthy is worthwhile.
We all want to look and feel better. You are what you eat! Healthy, whole foods lead to more vibrant bodies and lives. Junk leads to sluggishness, weight gain, and even misery sometimes (your mood isn’t separate from your body).
Next to energy, most of us want or need to sleep better. Repair of your body and mind happens during good quality sleep, and it adds to better energy too. Let yourself rest when you’re tired (not just physically but mentally – I believe trauma recovery can definitely include more sleep for a while).
Related to my above point about mood, food does indeed have an effect on anxiety and depression. Even just cutting back on processed or high sugar foods (and boosting protein) should help stabilize your mood and emotions. There’s a newer body of research around the ketogenic diet, for example, and how it has powerful effects on mental health conditions (and physical conditions too).
There are a plethora of angles from which to view this. But for our purposes, I think most of them can be divided into two reasons.
Social occasions, especially special ones like holidays, are usually food centric. Even going over to a friend’s house to watch the game may present you with challenges around wanting to partake in greasy snacks or decadent desserts. My philosophy is that treats are OK and a part of enjoying life; eat healthy 80 percent of the time.
Peer and family relationships may come into play here as well. If you surround yourself with people who don’t eat healthy, it is naturally harder.
Although an intangible concept, will power is at the heart of why eating healthy – and doing anything responsible – is hard. We are impatient and want things now. We want a hit of chocolate or salty goodness to ease our frayed nerves. It’s OK, you’re human.
Junk foods in particular are like a drug. And they are manufactured that way, by design. The ratio of salt to sweet to fat is targeted to be most addictive. For more specific detail around how to control junk food cravings, read this blog here.
Humans are creatures of habit. The most insurmountable part of eating healthy is the fact that it’s not yet a routine. You are used to certain behaviors and even thought patterns. Changing is not easy, but so worth it. Sustainable change usually happens in small, incremental steps. Give yourself some time to adjust. Set yourself up for success by mapping out a desired daily routine.
Join a local run club, gym, yoga studio, or ask your friends if anyone is interested in making healthy choices with you. Community is a huge part of whether change happens, and sticks. That saying about you becoming like the 5 people you spend the most time with is true. Mindsets, behaviors, personalities even are contagious in a sense. Set boundaries with certain people if needed.
One of the main ones is a reduction in risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease. You will likely live a longer, happier life when you maintain a healthy, balanced diet and/or lose weight. This is about delayed gratification. Controlling impulses for the benefit of later rewards is one of the best life skills you can learn. Once you master it (or at least get more comfortable with it), you can apply it to all areas of your life and thrive. Shine on, friend!
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