Restricting your diet is hard. It’s where most people fail. You can try the latest fad diet and see weight loss happen drastically, but keeping the weight off is the problem. Though those fad diets are not healthy, to begin with, it’s even less healthy to fast or eat the same low-calorie food every day.
How, then, do you live a healthier life? Many swear by plant-based diets, but those who love meat cannot imagine how they can do without beef, pork, and chicken prepared a hundred different ways. If your cardiologist in Provo allows you to have a small portion of meat in your daily diet, being healthy is not about removing them entirely, is it?
The Keyword Is Control
You don’t have to stop eating meat to be healthy. Prepared well, meats taste good, and they make meals enjoyable. This makes it difficult to remove them from your diet, and even if you try, you’ll still miss the way they taste. The better way to be healthier is to limit your intake. Instead of having that full portion of steak all to yourself, you can to ask someone to split the order with you. Then, load up your plate with greens to supplement the meat you’ve given away. You’ll still feel full at the end of the meal, and you had your beloved meat, but you won’t be at a higher risk of heart disease or other severe health conditions.
Savor Every Bite
Eating with intention is not just about minimizing your intake of unhealthy food. Do it that way, and you’ll feel the loss, thinking you’re missing out when you don’t eat the full portion. That’s where you need to condition your mind to be satisfied with the few bites you have. Say you’re eating fried chicken, which is delicious but loaded with trans fat. Instead of eating a lot, you take two to three bites and savor each one. The first bite is to let yourself enjoy the idea of eating one of your favorite food. The second bite is you tasting everything you love about chicken. The third bite is your last; take it slowly and deliberately, and savor the flavors.
Go Easy on Yourself
It’s already established that it’s hard to stick to a diet that takes your portions seriously. You will probably slip every once in a while and eat more than three bites of chicken and a full portion of steak. Remember that it’s okay and life is too short to deprive yourself of those few moments of joy. Especially at the start of your switch to a healthy life, it’s essential to take it easy while you establish this new habit. You are not failing just because you couldn’t resist the temptation one day. When you commit to your diet, it will be easier to stick to your reduced portions, and soon, you’ll realize that those three intent-filled bites are all you need to satiate your cravings.
You’ve gotten used to eating huge portions of meat and unhealthy sides, so a healthy diet seems hard. Eat with intention so that your diet won’t feel like punishment.
