None of these recommendations includes the word “kale”.
More than half of 2017’s New Year’s resolutions revolve around healthier eating, weight loss, or exercise, according to a 2016 survey by Aldi. However, less than 10 percent of people carry out their purposes throughout the year.
These statistics are not great. But there are certain tactics you can implement to strengthen your determination and fulfill your purposes. Here are three:
TIP TO IMPROVE YOUR DIET # 1: Sleep more
THAN? If you’re not getting enough sleep, either in terms of quality or quantity, you’re going to have trouble maintaining discipline regarding exercise and nutrition.
In fact, a study published in the November 2016 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants who recorded less than 5 1/2 hours of sleep per night ate 385 more calories the next day. Even worse, the guys who slept badly didn’t make good food choices. They avoided protein and ate foods full of empty calories.
TIP TO IMPROVE YOUR DIET # 2: Focus on the behaviors, not the result
Set a goal and find out what you must do to reach it. For example, if you have a weight loss goal in mind, realistically find out how much time it should take (for example, losing half a pound a week).
Then, work on the details, small gradual changes that will help you achieve your goal: not drinking soda, eating protein at each meal, filling half the plate with vegetables, etc. These are the behaviors necessary for change, and by putting each one into practice consistently, the result will come.
TIP TO IMPROVE YOUR DIET # 3: Stop tormenting yourself about food
Eating must be enjoyable. Food offers more than nutrients. Fuel our body and mind. Drive conversations. Connect to people. And at the end of the day, a single food (or meal) will not make or interrupt your success. If you went out with your friends, had a drink and a couple of dozen wings, forget it. It’s over and you need to focus on what you can do to move on. Focus on where you are going, not where you have been.
So yes, three of the best things you can do to improve your diet don’t involve food. Eating healthy has as much to do with your brain as it does with your stomach. When you establish a healthy mindset, the rest will accommodate itself, and you will lose weight.