It is no secret food is a major contributor to your overall health. This is why it is so important to maintain balance when eating healthy. What you eat can literally propel you or assist in bringing you down. As such, what you consume should not be taken lightly. Additionally, the balance of the foods you eat may vary depending on your overall goals. For instance, what you eat if you are deficient in a vitamin versus what you eat if you are trying to gain weight may vary.
However, with so many “trends” and “diets” going around it can be tempting to be swayed like a leaf in the wind from one extreme routine to the next. I am sure you agree that eating food should not be so complicated. In fact, it does not have to be complicated.
Right!?
Overtime, I have learned the most important thing to consider when fine tuning my eating habits is balance. This of course, is something that came with time. However, I am starting to get a real grasp on finding that balance.
If you are on the journey to find balance regarding your eating habits – here is my list of 6 ways to help you maintain balance when eating healthy. All of which have been very beneficial to me.
1. Start Small
Select one meal you want to focus on at a time. This could be breakfast, lunch or dinner. I would go with whichever one would be the easiest to tackle first. Focusing on one meal at a time will help you not become overwhelmed.
Feeling overwhelmed could lead you to feeling discouraged which may also lead to you quitting. I don’t think that is your goal. So, it is best for your morale and overall efficiency to master a few go-to dishes for one meal. Once you have mastered multiple dishes for one meal time you can then start to put them into rotation.
2. Gradually Scale Up
Once you have a certain meal down packed moved on to another meal or a snack and repeat the above step of mastering that meal. Once you get your rhythm you will start having fun. Trust me. There is nothing like mastering a go to dish that aligns with you overall wellness goals.
Plus, this is a major time saver!
3. Make a Shopping List and Stick to It
I am so guilty of going to the grocery store and buying so many things I never intended to buy, especially when I am hungry. Oh yea, it goes without saying but I will say it anyway. Do not go grocery shopping hungry. Like ever aha!
Okay, let’s get back on track.
Making a list with specific ingredients will help you stay within the boundaries you gave yourself when deciding what you will or will not eat. Additionally, you cannot eat what is not in your house…well theoretically. There have been many times when I wanted to eat tons of ice cream (bad idea as my stomach cannot take it) but decided on an alternative option because I did not have ice cream on hand. Obviously, I could have easily gone to the store to buy some ice cream. However, this would have required additional energy and money, neither of which were worth the effort.
Point is, it is easier to eat what you already have.
4. Find Some Inspiration
Let’s face it, eating within your wellness goals can sometimes seem boring. It can be hard to come up with new and creative ways to eat healthy.
Luckily, we have so many resources at our finger tips to help us along the way. My go to would have to be Pinterest. Pinterest is full of recipes and creative ideas for healthy food options that will make this process a breeze for you. I refer to my Pinterest boards often for inspiration and to remind myself of dishes I want to cook.
While Pinterest is awesome, there is another resource I equally enjoy…YouTube!
There are a few channels (SweetPotatoSoul, RachelAlma and TishWonders) I keep in rotation due to their creative ideas as well as their flavorful and nutritious ingredients. Check out these amazing women to generate ideas and get your thoughts flowing.
5. Remember the Season(ing)
Eating in season and with seasoning will spice up your journey for sure. Eating fruits and vegetables in season will guarantee fresh and quality produce. This will enhance your meals…trust me!
While you are eating in season don’t forget to experiment with various seasonings to bring out the flavors of your produce.
This has been a major game changer for me. Experimenting with different spices and sauces has made my experience with maintaining balance when eating healthy foods even more fun. I can eat the same produce and not get tired of it because I have learned how to expand my seasoning combinations.
6. Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself
I think this is the most important tip on this list. It can be so easy to want to be “perfect” but honestly perfection is your best at any given moment. Giving yourself a break on your journey towards balance will allow you to enjoy the process even more.
So, make sure to give yourself a break and take it day by day.
There you have it! 6 effective ways to implement balance in your eating routine. Let me know which tips spoke to you the most.
How do you intend on maintaining balance when eating healthy? Who are your favorite food bloggers?
Peace, Love and Joy!
-Shalanda
