Complete lack of theme again! I hope pictures of super fit superheros provide some inspiration and I will focus on trying to come up with good topics for us
Here is my answer! Warning - it will be long. I am really looking forward reading yours too
When is it easy to stick to a healthier way of eating
When it's spring and summer! Honestly, I find it much easier now as I love summer fruit and veggies and I find my cravings much healthier. Nothing can be done about that! I will have to decide on trying to maintain summer weight this winter or expect I will be few kg up during the winter.
When I track calories. I just find it so easy, and I have no issues estimating my meals but find the consistent habit of adding it all up like awareness exercise. Even when I go over, I add the numbers, own it and move on. It has been tool that made it easier for me.
When I have holiday to look forward to! Honestly it's true, I don't like the thought of looking puffy in the pictures or on the beach and I as shallow as it sounds it gives me motivation.
When I eat a lot of veggies or veggies and fruit. Half, or at least 300g with each of my meal and part of my snack too. It really helps me be satisfied with meals for longer. Again - this one is much easier in the summer as produce taste better.
When the plan is flexible. I found it easy to stick to the plan when I did the no added sugar diet for 100 days but impossible to do after I ate sugar on WDW vacation. I find banned lists of food makes it harder for me. Or having a specific numbers of meals, or anything too strict - doesn't work. I need framework, skills to allow me to navigate through my day and still get progress. Not rigid rules that I have to keep
Having said that - I find eating very sweet desserts, or any very sweet items makes it harder for me. Only last weekend I was asking my husband to go for a cake in my favorite cheesecake shop and he commented what's up with that? I linked to protein powder I have been experimenting with. It's sweet, and it made me crave more sweets. It doesn't matter if it's listed as 0 sugar or low carb, the sweetness is what makes it harder for me to be happy with box of berries, if I have other highly sweet items in my diet. I am not saying I don't eat suits or ice cream, but it's easy for me to look at them as sometimes food, not part of my diet. As I want to find it easy, I don't go for desserts very often at all
Eating food I don't feel like, or I don't like makes it hard for me. This makes me craving food other food for hours after! I need to enjoy my meals, I commit to be sensible most of the time in exchange for that, but I am not eating just for fuel - I have to enjoy my food.
Not eating out makes it hard for me. I eat out a lot, and if a plan is to work for me it has to be able to accommodate that. When I avoid social situations so I can stick to the plan - I am in trouble! I have gone too far and soon I will start hating it and give up! My plan have to include meals out.
Specific items I do, or plan to do this month
I found out a lot of options near my work - from shops I can buy bag of lettuce, add tuna and dressing for a quick salad, to lighter options on bagel cafe, salads, soups, burrito bowls - I have so many tasty options around me that will fit in my calorie budget and contain veggies or veggies and fruit, it's not an issue to not feel like bringing boxed lunch. I do this at least one day a week. It's tempting to skip it and bring food but I know better by now what happens after trying too hard. This has been sooo helpful!
I find I need few hours, perhaps half day to get myself ready for the week ahead. Make a rough plan, do my shopping, pre chopped veggies (you have to try this!) and store in zip lock or glass containers. It's struggle during the week if I don't have this in place.
I don't let myself create too big of a deficit more then one day in row.
I will also read some recipes this weekend and make few new things! I love food and keeping it fun and enjoyable really helps me feeling that I can do this, I can do this easy and I am loving it. I will try at least 2 new recipes weekly for the next 3 weeks from the hairy bikers books.
I bring myself some thing in work - we have fridge. So for example Monday I will 3 single serving of yogurts and boxes of berries, perhaps hummus and little flatbread type cracker. I love having a healthy snack to reach out to, and cuts the temptation to get unhealthy one. Bringing them once a week makes the daily load less! Theyare there
planning ahead is definitely worth it for me
Looking forward reading your replies, perhaps I can pick up few new items!
Be kind to yourself. Have a healthy and happy Friday