Changing Your Diet, But How?
Changing your diet, but how? "The chips are now to the right of the beer" - ha, ha. But seriously: it won't work without a sense of humor.
Changing your diet, but how? It's allowed to be fun, and it shouldn't be only about doing without and self-denial. If you count calories grimly and list ingredients, mourn the barbecue ribs and banish the fries with ketchup and mayo, in other words if you think negatively, you can't expect positive results.
We approach the question of changing your diet, but how? differently, and these 5 tips will help:
Changing your diet, but how? Here's how it works
In the nutrition world, people often talk about the "20/80 principle". It means: instead of radical 100% attempts that are bound to fail, achieve a lot with a few changes. So: change 20% of your habits to get 80% of the success.
This principle refutes the demotivating saying "The first step is the hardest", because changing 20% seems doable and is not incredibly hard at all.
Changing 20% of your diet is actually more than just moving the chips to the other side of the beer, but 20% is doable.
2. Emphasize the winning side
"See what you have, not what you're missing" - this wisdom applies in every area of life, and also when it comes to food. Changing your diet is a matter of mindset and attitude. That's why you should strike "I have to - I'm not allowed to - I'm missing..." from your vocabulary! Otherwise failure is programmed in.
"The veggie dish was delicious - I can fall asleep better now - my skin feels good - my blood pressure is going down...". These are messages that strengthen and motivate you to tackle changes. And they help with the question "Changing your diet, but how?
Changing your diet, but how? Discover new enjoyment
"Mediterranean food" - that sounds like vacation, like Italy, like pleasure. Whose mouth doesn't water at the thought of antipasti, vegetables, fish and olive oil? And who still misses meat-heavy habits after that?
Asian cuisine - completely different spices, coconut milk and vegetarian dishes that cause explosions of flavor. We should also taste more of the kitchens of the world and discover and enjoy their lightness.
4. Find your own path and walk it
Some of other people's ideas on changing your diet, but how? are helpful, but there's also a lot of ideology and self-promotion at play: "Red meat is poison - no meat at all anymore - only soy products instead of milk - new studies have clearly shown that...." Listen less to others, listen to yourself. You feel what does you good. You experience what suits you. You decide.
5. See the big picture
When we eat healthier, more balanced and more sustainably, it's first of all a step for ourselves - but it's also a contribution to the bigger picture: a step toward fair prices for farmers, a step toward "public health" because it leads away from junk food and sugary drinks, even a step for the climate because less meat is needed.