Five Influences over your Diet & Health!

Five Influences over your Diet & Health!

Planning out your meals & snacks daily is the quickest way to nutritional success…

Plan ahead or plan to fail! Whatever your diet goals are remember that you will face obstacles and pitfalls daily in regards to your physical health and nutrition! Here are some common influencers you need to consider when attempting to live a healthy life:

Emotions – When emotions are high we typically turn to an old friend for “comfort”…Somehow we have bought into the lie that when we are upset, sad, happy, stressed, etc. the box of crackers in our pantry or the ice cream in our freezer holds the answer!
Emotional eating is NEVER good! Nearly every emotion prompts false hunger signals. Think about nearly every major event during your life…birthdays, graduations, funerals, baby showers, etc. all center around friends, emotions, and FOOD! The term, “Comfort Food” indicates this is true. DO NOT EAT BECAUSE OF EMOTIONS.

Convenience – We often eat junk because it is convenient. One key to navigating around this negative influence of convenience is to eat breakfast at home and pack your lunch along with any snacks for your entire day! If you do not plan your food out ahead of time you will ALWAYS be negatively impacted by the influence of CONVENIENCE! If you find yourself “stuck” remember there are PLENTY of low fat/low calorie options at your local grocery store. AND lets be honest…fruits and veggies are MUCH more convenient then the dollar menu from your local fast food restaurant!

Availability – When embarking on a lifestyle modification it is ESSENTIAL to keep the right foods available at all times! This includes your home, work, play, and travel locations. Always have something healthy around when you get that unexpected hunger...low calorie fruits, veggies, and (low fat, low calorie) protein bars work amazing for this option!

Time – Another negative influence is time restraints. We have bought into the lie that all food has to be “fast food” on the go. Again there are plenty of great options available at grocery stores, Wal-Mart’s, Target’s, even gas stations (not their own prepared fast foods, but fruits, lean meats, & other options) have great options vs. greasy fast food restaurants! Don’t buy into the myth that eating unhealthy is a time management skill!

Cost – While eating healthy can be expensive, it doesn’t have to be! Find healthy foods that are in your budget and stock up. Sam’s Club, Costco, Wal-Mart, and others have plenty of healthy options at a value price. With medical cost on the rise, the real question is can you afford to not eat healthy?

Again eating a well balanced, nutritious diet is strategic. Not only do you need to know what foods to eat, YOU MUST PLAN AHEAD! If you don’t these NEGATIVE INFLUENCES will impact you.

What is your biggest HEALTH NEMESIS?