I don’t know about you, but the past few years have been stressful. That stress has taken its toll in countless ways, including on our waistlines. Though most cities and businesses have returned to a sense of semi-normalcy, being cooped up at home with no gym access, for many, meant forgoing healthy exercise and eating habits.
Maybe you fell off the wagon at the height of the pandemic. Maybe the holidays were a little jollier than you expected them to be, or your new year’s resolution didn’t stick beyond January. We all have reasons for stumbling along the path the wellness. If you’ve found your wellness habits wanting, never fear; it isn’t too late!
Here are six surefire ways to get your health, fitness, and nutrition routines back on track!
6 Steps to Reclaiming Healthy Habits
1) Reevaluate your relationship with food.
Our relationships with food can take root at a very early age. If food was used as a reward for good behavior, you’ll likely use food to “treat” yourself now. If there was shame and restriction surrounding “bad” food growing up, you’ll likely experience it as an adult, too. Food can be an early comfort for coping with stress, anxiety, and other emotional issues, too – meaning that as adults, we may be prone to binge when we’re feeling stressed or depressed.
Evaluate your relationship with food. This will help you identify the role food may play in your coping mechanisms and psychology, ultimately allowing you to work towards seeing food as a neutral and developing healthier, non-food-fueled coping skills.
2) Find healthy indulgences.
Maybe you’ve been stuck in a sea of fast food, pizza, burgers, and pastries for a while. You’re reaching for the things that taste good. There’s nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence but recognize that foods don’t have to be fried or fatty to be gratifying. Healthy choices can be enjoyable, too! What’s your favorite fruit? How about the best smoothie combo you know?
Find healthy snacks and treats to replace your not-so-healthy go-to options. Whether it’s a handful of nuts, a smoothie bowl, or a perfectly grilled protein, indulge in the foods that benefit the body.
3) Plan your meals.
If we’re honest, many of us fall off the wagon due to a time crunch. We either feel as though we don’t have time to cook healthy meals or, by the time dinner rolls around, we’re too tired to do it. You can curb a lot of these situations – in which you may be tempted to swing by a drive-thru or order takeout – by planning ahead.
Grab your partner and make a targeted grocery list that allows you to make healthy meals in bulk quantities, ideally on one day of the week. You can portion out these meals into meal prep containers and keep them frozen until you’re ready. This makes eating home-cooked whole-food meals easy and accessible.
4) Remove temptations.
Got a sweet tooth? Or maybe you’re the guy who craves all things crunchy and salty. I’m not going to tell you that any food is “bad.” Food is neutral. Our eating habits, though, can be harmful. Recognize where your temptations lie. It’s not about indulging, it’s about over-indulging. If you find yourself unable to stop with a bite or two – or at least with the recommended serving size – you may be facing too great a temptation.
Cull these foods from your pantry. If you find your self-control unraveling at the sight of Crunch n’ Munch or Pringles, stop buying them. Period. It does you no favors to give yourself unnecessary opportunities to binge.
5) Start with consistency.
We tend to have an “all or nothing” mindset regarding wellness. I’ll tell you right now: that’s unhealthy. I see it among runners, too. Beginners will beat themselves up for “only” running so far, so often, or so fast, disregarding the fact that any running is beneficial. Your eating habits are the same. Every good choice is a good choice, and a bad choice doesn’t have to ruin your week, your day, or your afternoon.
Just aim for consistent efforts in every choice you make. Avoid restrictive diets and instead focus on concerted, conscious efforts to introduce more whole foods and vegetables, drink more water, and to stop when you’re full.
6) Return to an exercise routine.
Exercise will always be the perfect and necessary complement to good eating habits. If you’ve been in a slump with food, turn to exercise. Exercise can improve mood and relieve stress, which provides an outlet for negative feelings that you’d otherwise soothe through snacking. It’s also just another way to feel better and more focused on your health, which leads to better choices in general. Even if it’s just fifteen minutes a day.
Exercise engages both mind and body, too. If you find yourself tempted to overeat while bored, get up and get moving instead. Don’t sit idle when you could be making big gains!
What are you best tips for getting “back on the wagon” with healthy habits? Share in the comments.