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Most of us have had a goal to “eat healthier.” We often start with gusto, whether for a New Year’s resolution or because we joined a new fitness group, only to “fall off the wagon” a short time later because things felt too difficult. Instead, consider ways to make healthier eating easier by following these tips for long-term success.  

1. Maintain an “and” mindset: Rather than focusing on what you cannot eat, focus on what you can add to your meals and snacks to make them healthier. For example, instead of eating two hard-boiled eggs and nothing else for breakfast, try to add fiber and nutrients from a breakfast salad, multi-grain bread, or an assortment of berries. This approach will leave you feeling more satiated and nourished by essential nutrients. 
2. Make small, steady progress: Building a healthy lifestyle takes time. It’s most important for you to make small changes rather than completely overhauling your diet. Wholesale changes are more likely to fail, leaving you discouraged and causing you to revert to less healthy options. For instance, cutting down sugar intake is much better for sustainable success than cutting it out completely only to rebound in a couple of months to your previous sugar levels or even more. 
3. Add vegetables whenever you can: It’s recommended that half of your plate be vegetables for lunch and dinner. However, when you prioritize adding vegetables, you can start sneaking them into sauces, smoothies, snacks, and even at breakfast, boosting your daily intake. 
4. Plan meals and snacks to stay ahead: Meal planning often gets overcomplicated by those who try to eat healthier. You don’t need to spend hours every weekend meal planning, grocery shopping, and meal prepping, but you do need to be intentional about having healthy options available. Frozen vegetables are easy and nutritious, pre-cut veggies at stores are often worth the cost for convenience, and cooking enough at one meal for leftovers can make healthier eating easier. Instead of complicated recipes, center your meals around lean protein, vegetables, and whole grains. 
5. Hydrate: Increasing your water intake is foundational to eating healthier. To get enough water daily, frontload your intake during the day. Carry a water bottle, flavor your water with fruit, vegetables, and herbs like basil or mint, and drink water when you first feel hungry rather than eating. 
6. Experiment when you’re ready: Once you have made progress with the previous five tips, you can begin to experiment with new recipes, cooking techniques, herbs, and spices to add variety to your healthy eating. If you do this too soon in your journey, it can be overwhelming. 

If you want healthier eating to be sustainable, you need to take simple, actionable steps to keep it sustainable. When moving your body to live well and feel well, the Taylor Pilates and Fitness team can customize a Pilates or functional fitness program to help you achieve your goals, making movement a part of your healthy lifestyle. To schedule your session, please call or text us at 303-472-6743.