If you read my blog, I'm guessing you like to take care of yourself or at least want to learn how to. Today, I'm going to share five mistakes that I've noticed some people make on their journey to health and vitality. Are you guilty of any of these?
1. Focusing solely on weight loss.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Diets are not good for you. The way to be healthy is to make better choices every day, not drastically cut your calorie intake for a limited period of time. If something isn't sustainable for the long term, you shouldn't be doing it at all. If you diet then you'll just end up piling all the weight back on (and more) when you start eating normally again. If you do want to lose weight, focus on making your body stronger and healthier by eating the right foods and exercising regularly, and weight loss will be a welcome side effect.
2. Giving up after one blowout.
Don't live with the mindset that eating one slice of cake has ruined your healthy eating plan so you might as well have that bar of chocolate and tube of Pringles too. You're only human and one small setback isn't going to be the end of the world. Don't beat yourself up over it; instead, resolve to get back on track and continue eating healthily. The way to avoid a binge is not to think of anything as 'off limits' and to allow yourself a treat occasionally so you're not continually thinking about and craving junk food.
3. Failing to prepare.
Grabbing food on the go isn't really a good idea as it can be difficult to find healthy options when you're out and about. The best thing to do is learn how to meal prep. You can find lots of good tutorials about this on YouTube, but simply making five boxes of salad on a Sunday night will ensure you have a healthy lunch to take to work every day the next week.
You could also plan your dinners for the week ahead. Write them down on a sheet of paper and stick it to your fridge. That way you'll be able to see what ingredients you need to buy so you won't be caught out when it comes to making them. You'll also have a plan to stick to so you're not tempted to order a takeaway after a long day at work.
4. Smoking and drinking.
Smoking is the worst thing you can do to yourself if you want to live a healthy life. Cigarettes are full of tar, nicotine and deadly chemicals which can cause cancer and other diseases. If you want to do one thing that will make you infinitely healthier, giving up the fags is just that.
You should also go easy on the booze. It provides empty calories and can lead to health problems down the line, from disturbed sleep, to high blood pressure, to heart disease and even brain damage.
5. Keeping unhealthy food in the house.
If it's there, you will eat it. A lot of people manage to eat well all day long then binge in front of the TV in the evening. Knowing that all those goodies are sitting in the kitchen calling your name can be too much temptation to resist. Stock up on healthy snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, yoghurt and berries so they're readily available for when you feel peckish and won't undo all your hard work.
What are your bad habits? How do you deal with them so they don't mess up your healthy eating plan? Let me know in the comments!
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