Your Eating Habits: The Key To Your Success At Healthy Eating

Developing healthy eating habits is simpler and easier than you might think. You will look and feel better if you make a habit of eating healthfully. You will have more energy and think more clearly. Your immune system will be stronger so you will not get sick as often. Healthy eating habits are your ticket to a healthier body and mind.

I guarantee that you will develop healthy eating habits that last a lifetime and that you will enjoy eating healthy food if you just follow this program. The only way you can fail is if you fail to follow the program. Make a commitment to yourself now. Follow these steps and you WILL develop healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

Step 1.
Set up YOUR PERSONAL FOOD PLANNER.

Get an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper. Write across the top MY PERSONAL FOOD PLANNER. Then make 2 columns. At the top of the column on the left, write FOODS I LIKE TO EAT THAT I SHOULD AVOID. At the top of the column on the right, write HEALTHY FOODS I CAN SUBSTITUTE.

Step 2.
Choose 1 food that you like to eat that you know is unhealthy for you AND you are ready and willing to find a healthy substitute for. Write it down in the FOODS I LIKE TO EAT THAT I SHOULD AVOID column.

Start with the foods that will be the easiest for you to eliminate. This will make it a lot easier for you. As you progress, you will find that foods that you are not ready eliminate now will be easier to eliminate later as you are being successful in the program.

Step 3.
In the HEALTHY FOODS I CAN SUBSTITUTE column, write down as many healthy foods that you can think of that you know you like or would like to try that you think would work as a substitute for the food you are trying to eliminate. When you are working on beverages, don't forget to add water as a healthy substitute.

Every time you want to eat the food you wrote down in the FOODS I LIKE TO EAT THAT I SHOULD AVOID column, go to your list and choose one of the foods that you wrote in the HEALTHY FOODS I CAN SUBSTITUTE column.

Step 4.
Every day or every other day, add another food to the FOODS I LIKE TO EAT THAT I SHOULD AVOID column and enter as many healthy substitutes as you can think of in the HEALTHY FOODS I CAN SUBSTITUTE column.

Step 5.
KEEP THIS LIST WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. Before you choose anything to eat, consult your list to make sure you are making a healthy choice.

Step 6.
Keep adding to this list until you have eliminated all the unhealthy foods you like to eat and eating healthfully has become so automatic that you don't have to think about it anymore.

Step 7.
Always keep a selection of healthy foods and snacks that you like to eat handy, so that when you just have to have something to eat NOW, you can make a healthy choice.

Make the transition to healthy eating habits gradually at a pace you are comfortable with. Remember, this is not a diet. This is not a program that you will abandon after a few weeks or months. You are developing eating habits that you want to last your entire lifetime. Make this a positive experience for yourself.

Make progress every day. Keep a positive attitude. Give yourself a pat on the back for each step you make in the direction of developing lifetime healthy eating habits. Make this your healthy eating adventure, exploring lots of new and different foods. And most importantly, have fun!

If you blow it, don't give up. Take a deep breath. Remember that you're human. It's not the end of the world. Go back to your PERSONAL FOOD PLANNER and start all over again. Developing healthy eating habits should not be a stressful experience. Have fun tasting lots of new and different healthy foods. Make this a pleasant journey.

This information was taken from HEALTHY EATING: For Extremely Busy People Who Don't Have Time For It by Dr. Christine H. Farlow, D.C. This is a positive, upbeat book that can help you stay on track. It is a quick reference guide to what's healthy to eat and what's not. It has recipes and sample meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. It's brief and to the point, so you can find what you're looking for quickly.

Now's the time to get started on the road to a healthier you. You can do it!