When you want to restart a healthy eating program and you’re not sure where to start… I’ve got 4 nuggets for you that can get you moving in the right direction.

1. Give yourself some grace.

2. Quickly hit the reset button.

3. Eat mindfully, stop inhaling your food!

4. Healthy eating is not a goal, it’s a lifetime commitment.

Very few people can be perfect, I am talking to the majority of you who can realistically live an 80/20 lifestyle.  This means eating a balanced diet, making healthy choices, and avoiding processed, boxed and fast-food items 80% of the time.  The other 20% it is okay to have a “cheat” meal here and there, the key is not stringing too many “cheats” together.  Then unhealthy choices are your 80% versus it being 20% of what you eat.

If you find yourself cheating too much, give yourself grace.  Grace removes shame and gives you a do over.  You’ve eaten it, you cannot change past chews.  See it as a learning lesson and think about why you made the choices you made. 

Was it poor planning?  I didn’t pack a healthy lunch, and there were donuts and snacks in the breakroom, so I ate them.  Or was it an emotional choice due to a stressor?  An unrealistic work demand, a procrastinating child or an elderly parents’ health concern is dumped on you.  The feeling of overwhelmed, put on or worry can lead us to make poor choices with our food verses setting boundaries or bringing God into the fear. 

When we quickly hit the reset button after a weak moment, a cheat or misstep we can change our path and continue to move forward in the healthy direction of our reset.  Acknowledge the oops, think about what you learned and make the right choice to get back on track.

Maybe the right choice is pre-planning your meals for the week, or the next few days.  Write a grocery list from this plan after checking the pantry for what you have on hand.  Stock the frig and cupboards with nutrient rich foods and fuel.  Then spend some time prepping food.  If you find that the vending machine or breakroom is tempting, create your own snack drawer at work or healthy spot in the frig.  Eat when you are truly hungry and avoid cheating because you planned. 

If you’re tempted after work on the drive home, make sure you have a healthy snack like an apple or a full water bottle.  In addition, change your route home to avoid the drive thru’ s or the temptations.

When we learn from our actions, we can change them.  Knowing your specific triggers and stressors is important so you can have a plan “B”.  If Taco Tuesday trips you up every week, prepare a healthier version of tacos on Monday so you know that you have a satisfying Mexican meal at home waiting for you. 

Another tactic to use is enjoying your food and chewing it.  When we “inhale” our food or eat with distractions, we do not have time to enjoy it.  Our bodies take time to be satiated, so “inhaling” is an easy way to overeat.  If you must eat on the run, make sure you have a water bottle, cut up veggies and a fruit handy.  Place like Kwik Trip have healthy grab ‘n Go’s if you’re on the road.  When we eat crunchy things, it satisfies our brains.  Instead of eating a 12” sub, eat a 3” or 6” with these other options.  If you are eating at home, eat at the table, away from distractions like TV.  Put your fork down between bites, chew your food and drink water after each bite.  This can slow the pace and allow your body to feel full.

Lasty, view your healthy habit of eating reset as a long-term commitment.  It is not a goal, goals end.  Decide on a strategy that works, like the 80/20.  Put value on this.  Use an “I am” statement to reinforce your choices.  I am a healthy eater 80% of the time, I ate birthday cake yesterday so today I need to get back on track with my fruit for sweets.   Look at it as part of your life, not something you do for a bit and then get to go back to the free for all lifestyle.  Until you value the 80/20 lifestyle, you will not see this as a  long term way of living.  You will continue to circle back to old habits because you value them.  You value coach time versus food prep time.  You value quick boxed meals, verses planning a menu.  We are typically creatures of habit.  If you have a weekly grocery list of fruits, veggies, whole grain sides and protein, you can have recipes set aside for all levels of time available. 

If you have a busy week, grill chicken breasts that can be served in veggie wraps for lunches, with steamed veggies and quinoa, and shredded for Taco Tuesday.  Prepare food once or twice a week and create healthy choice plan-overs weekly.   Maybe next week will be a slower week, use your time to make tray veggies, veggie lasagna and other meals that freeze well.  Stock the freezer so that next week’s busyness doesn’t derail your choices.  You can shop in your freezer, thaw, and reheat. Boom!  Mic drops.