One of the most daunting things about diets is the thought of missing out on your favorite foods. You’re always counting calories, and you find yourself settling on mini microwave meals more often than not. Although different approaches to healthy eating may work for different people, the underlying constant is that it’s all about balance. You can eat healthy and still eat well, it just requires some planning.
Although I don’t always eat the way I should, I definitely eat better than I did a few years ago.
Here are some small choices that make a big difference:
- Make your own food: Look at your schedule for the week and figure out when you’ll be able to cook your own meals. If it looks like every day is a busy one, try making large quantities of something on Sunday and saving the leftovers for later in the week. (Slow cooker meals are great for this!) Otherwise, do a big shop in advance so all of the ingredients are already in your kitchen when you get home from work each night.
- Don’t be afraid to repeat: Keep an organized collection of your favorite recipes. Whether you sort by protein type, cuisine, or prep time, make it easy to find what you’re craving.
- Take advantage of the Internet: Many health-themed magazines have online recipe databases and/or that are great resources. There are also a ton of healthy eating blogs out there. When all else fails, a quick Google search for something like “healthy mac and cheese” will usually get you on the right track.
- Opt for lighter ingredients: Even if you use your own regular recipes, there are small things you can do to make them less bad for you. Look for reduced sodium beans or breadcrumbs, and only buy cheese made with 2% milk. Make sure you know the percentage of fat in the meat that you buy. If you love bacon and sausage, give the (lighter) turkey versions a try.
Many people fail at diets because they try to do it all at once, and they don’t find something that’s manageable for their lifestyle. I can’t give you any sort of guarantee, but I can tell you that it’s definitely possible to eat healthy and still eat well.
By Samantha Tananbaum
Tess Szymanski
All of this is so true! When it comes down to it it’s all about balance. I’ve been reading some healthy eating books and have been avoiding processed foods completely and sometimes it’s really hard when there’s a bag of chips sitting in front of you. However, I’ve found other things that curve such cravings and that are good for me! One added bonus about making your own food is you tend to save a lot of money, which is great for a girl like me who has just moved to the big, and expensive, city.
Elena
The lighter ingredients trick has made a huge difference for me – just switching to lighter cheese, leaner meats and lower sodium has tipped the scales and made some of the harder transitions (like snacking!) seem less daunting.
What are the top two recipes? They look fabulous!
Sam
Thanks! The first one is chicken piccata (http://bit.ly/g6OjQe), and the second is Cooking Light’s stovetop mac and cheese.
Katrina Manning
Very nice. If I have a craving for something sweet, I need the real thing. But, I find that all I need is a small bite or a taste, and I’m satiated. Also, the more fruits and vegetables I eat, the less prone I am to temptations. The good news is I love fruits and vegetables.
Ananya Juneja
I agree with this post! I live off leftovers most of the week and then I save my ‘eating/drinking out calories’ for weekends. And yes pinterest is amazing for recipes!