If you’re a foodie, that means you love eating and discovering new dishes and food combos, but if you struggle to prepare a meal for yourself or simply don’t enjoy eating, it might be that you have an unusual or downright problematic relationship with food.
Improving the way you see and treat food can greatly benefit your mental and physical health. Instead of exhausting yourself with various complicated diets, you can just modify your eating regimen and see the results almost immediately.
So here are some ideas on how to work on your relationship with food and feel great about yourself:
1. Make a list of food you like and dislike
Before you start actually doing anything, it’s advisable to make one list of food that you love and another one of the foods that you’d rather avoid. It may seem unusual, but that way you can have a better overview of what food do you need. Instead of browsing aisles and wasting your time in the supermarket, you can focus on eating meals that you enjoy. Similarly, knowing what you like or dislike can help you with meal planning and shopping. Also, being more aware of what you dislike can be of great help when checking ingredients so you won’t be unpleasantly surprised if it turns out that your new pasta sauce contains something you don’t like.
2. Plan your meals in advance
Many people struggle with meal planning due to busy schedules or lack of willpower. It takes some self-discipline to learn to prepare meals for a few days in advance, so if you don’t know where to start, there are plenty of meal-planning apps and websites with tasty recipes. It’s important to plan on time so you won’t be too busy when it’s time to actually cook and eat. Freezing some leftovers is also useful since it’s eco-friendly, budget-friendly and it can help you worry less. All you need is a good microwave so you’ll be able to defrost the meal.
3. Learn about various foods
Not all food is equally good, so it’s extremely important to know which foods are healthier so you’ll be able to prioritize. For example, eating bananas can reduce anxiety while are rich in antioxidants. Instead of eating everything that seems promising, explore different types of food and meals and see if they have any effect on your body and mind. If something makes you feel bloated, chances are that type of food doesn’t work for you anyway so you should definitely stay away from it. People often struggle with giving up certain foods because they love them despite the consequences they have after consuming them. Therefore, it’s important to listen to your body and try many types of meat, vegetables, pastries, fruits, and nuts.
4. Don’t say no to supplements
No matter how hard you work on prepping your meals and finding healthy food, sometimes it’s necessary to try some supplements. Working long hours and being away from home are big factors when it comes to deciding on the food to eat for the day. So, for example, you can allow yourself to sleep a bit more, and instead of breakfast, you can make a smoothie with vegan nutritional supplements such as hemp protein. Some of these supplements are so versatile that you can use them to make cookies, cupcakes and even pizza base. That way, you’ll consume healthier ingredients and also save yourself some time. For additional insights into the nutritional content of certain foods, consider exploring informative resources like SmarterVitamins.
5. Find healthy alternatives
Sometimes, giving up fave snacks can be really difficult, but fear not, because you can always find decent and healthy replacements. Coffee has health benefits, but drinking matcha in the morning is always a better choice. If you like sweets, eating dried fruits instead of candies and chocolates will keep you in better physical shape. Additionally, if you love sodas and fizzy drinks, choose freshly squeezed juices instead, and if possible, avoid adding sugar, or if you must opt for healthier sweeteners such as stevia, honey, and maple syrup. Eating healthier can also help you fight depression, anxiety and improve your sleep
6. Eat regularly
In case you’re constantly busy with work or other tasks, eating regularly can be a bit of a problem, but no worries, because all of that can be achieved with a little self-discipline. If you tend to skip breakfast, then waking up ten minutes earlier can help you there. Also, try to eat your meals approximately at the same time. When you start with that, you’ll also start feeling hungry which will make you eat. Of course, sometimes you’ll simply have to skip a meal, but always make sure to eat as soon as you find some time.
Being curious, exploring different recipes and cuisines can help you be more open-minded and build a long-lasting and healthy relationship with food and eating. Feel free to experiment, but always remember to exercise self-control and consume everything in moderation.