Help Yourself Over Diet Hurdles

It’s the time of year when those New Year’s Resolutions are getting more difficult to keep, and the winter weather isn’t making it any easier. You probably had a lot of enthusiasm for the first few weeks—you learned some healthy recipes, bought more fruits and veggies, probably even turned down your boss’s famous chocolate cake. But as the weeks go by, more obstacles start to creep in. Don’t be dismayed! The good news is that there are plenty of helpers to get you over those diet hurdles. 

• In anticipation of busy times, prepare batches of food on the weekends and freeze them until needed.
• When preparing food, purposely make extra for leftovers.
• Plan your meals for the upcoming week and make one weekend trip to the grocery store.
• Buy foods that are pre-prepped: bags of chopped vegetables, pre-cut fruits from the produce section, canned beans instead of dried.
• Throw all your ingredients into a Crockpot and voila! A healthy, home cooked meal awaits your return from work.
• Buy healthy frozen entrees, and meals that take only a few minutes to cook. Examples include: stir fry (look for pre-cut veggies), soup, instant brown rice, oatmeal, and sandwiches on whole wheat bread.
• The night before, set-up your breakfast (dishes, utensils, etc), pack your lunch, and plan what you’ll do for dinner.
• For more time-saving tips, read "Fitting Healthy Habits into Your Hectic Life."

• Order smaller-sized or lunch-sized portions when eating out.
• Know serving sizes and be accurate in tracking food choices.
• Ask the server to box up half of your entrée before it arrives.
• If you are thinking about going for seconds, wait at least 20 minutes to decide if you are truly still hungry.
• Avoid buffets and all-you-can-eat dining options.
• Educate yourself! When you learn what proper portions really look like, you won’t have trouble knowing when to stop. Check out The Portion Distortion Guide.

• Plan ahead and keep busy during downtime to avoid eating out of boredom.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day. You might actually be thirsty instead of hungry.
• Don’t keep sweets and junk food on hand at home.
• Give yourself occasional food rewards, and build them into your plan. Decide ahead of time, and portion out how much you will have.
• When you’re about to eat, ask yourself if you are actually hungry, or if you’re upset, sad, lonely, or bored. If your emotions are driving you to eat, find a healthy way to deal with them: write in your journal, allow yourself to cry, call up a friend, go on a short walk, or read a book.
• To "Get a Handle on Emotional Eating," click here.