Healthy Eating Ain’t Easy

“𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙇𝙏𝙃𝙔 𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙄𝙎 𝙎𝙊 𝙃𝘼𝙍𝘿.”
I hear comments like this alllll the time. But why is it that choosing healthy, whole foods has become so difficult for so many? The short answers is: 𝙒𝙀’𝙍𝙀 𝙃𝙐𝙈𝘼𝙉.

Truth is, most of us who struggle to maintain a healthy body fat level or say “no” to dessert are PERFECTLY normal. What is making things more difficult for us? 𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝙀𝙉𝙑𝙄𝙍𝙊𝙉𝙈𝙀𝙉𝙏.

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We are constantly surrounded by cues or “reasons” to eat. Examples: Indulging in a big tub of popcorn because you are at the movie theater (NOT because you are actually hungry), grabbing a donut in the break room at work because “hey, it’s free!”
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Most of the “foods” that surround us are typically hyper-palatable (extremely stimulating/satisfying) highly processed foods, which disrupt our natural hunger regulation mechanisms. Think evolution: for most of our human history, food was not readily available, energy demands were high, and something sweet/calorie dense meant “FUEL UP” for survival. Plus, these “foods” offer a quick feeling of reward and excitement, so of course we crave them! 🍟🍪

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While, we are very much still human with incredibly complex functioning bodies, we are no longer living in a time where food is scarce & survival is dependent on the success of our hunting/gathering each day. AKA our genetics haven’t changed much, but our environment has completely transformed. 🧬

Another way our we can unintentionally over-indulge: dining out. About how many days a week you grab food from a restaurant, cafe, dining hall, or fast food joint? These options are great for socializing, special occasions, or eating on the go. But could regularly dining out be sabotaging your health and fitness goals? 🤔

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The harsh truth: 90% of restaurant meals give us more energy (calories) than we need in a single meal. So does this mean we should never eat out? Absolutely not! BUT we can choose to be more mindful & make smart menu choices.

In closing - don’t ever feel bad for indulging in cravings, eating out, or for feeling like healthy eating is hard, because it’s totally normal. The good news is: we’re in the driver’s seat - and can always learn how and why to CHOOSE healthier options. If you’re ISO some ways to stop letting your environment bend you when it comes to healthy eating, shoot me a message!