If you are what you eat, then you might as well eat something good.

– Remy, Ratatouille

RECAP: Essential Habits of Adulthood

My Essential Habits of Adulthood are as follows (in no particular order):

• Skincare Routines
• Regular Exercise
• Healthy Eating
• Practicing Mindfulness
• Good Night’s Sleep

In the last two blog posts, we discuss skincare routines and regular exercise. The blogs provided quick facts on why the habit was important in adult life and some steps you can take to start building the habits! To me, these habits encompass an overall wellness to the adult life that is full of uncertainty, responsibility, and stress. Today, we will continue down the list with health eating!

Importance of Healthy Eating

• 

As a former undergraduate, I can admit that healthy eating was NOT a huge priority in my life; unless regular fast food and alcohol make the cut…

I was under the impression; as the vast majority of young adults are, that healthy eating was timely and expensive. Who wants to eat less, spend more, and constantly have limited choices in meals? Also, I was a “grown up”. I could spend my money exactly how I wanted and eat whatever my heart desired! So why on earth would anyone take the time to eat healthy?

Jessica Migala wrote an article called, “Why Are Healthy Eating Habits Important?” She discusses the differences between healthy eating and unhealthy eating, why you should strive for a healthy eating lifestyle, and even how to establish healthy eating habits in children. Here are a few reasons provided in her article for eating healthy:

• Prevent Diseases
• Protect your Mental Health
• Lose/Maintain/Gain Healthy Weight

My Two Cents

I have come to realize that I was making excuses. Healthy eating did not require a lot of time nor did it require a lot of money. Honestly, I probably spent more money on fast food than I ever would on healthy food. I was just afraid to make a change. I was afraid, people would judge me for eating a salad at a restaurant instead of a burger and fries. But I have never felt more alive than when my body is properly fueled.

To me, healthy eating does not require extreme restrictions. All you need is balance & self-awareness. By building this habit early, you are increasing your likelihood of continuing the habit into your older age and even passing the habit on to your children or other family members.

Personally, I pay attention to how food affects me now. For example, when I eat red meat during a late dinner, I wake up BLOATED! When I eat fast food too often, I feel sluggish and my skin feel oily. I was having a lot of revelations about the food I was consuming just by paying closer attention.

Lets Get Started

Start your healthy eating journey by:

• Starting off your day with a healthy filling breakfast – by starting off with a healthy eating habit, it may help you stay motivated throughout the day to stick to it
• Packing some snacks – always keep snacks on hand; fruits, veggies, and nuts make some amazing simple snacks that are easily travel safe!
• Planning out your meals – if you plan your meals in advance, you may find yourself looking forward to them all day long!
• Practicing Self-Awareness – pay attention to how the foods you eat makes you feel. Typically, you do not want to eat something that made you feel poorly again.
• Treating yourself – restriction really deters people from eating healthy. Having a slice of cake at a birthday party or eating a burger at a restaurant should not make you feel like you are no longer choosing to eat healthy. Its all about balance.

Start Off Slow

• 

I challenge you all to buy a pack of carrots this week.

As we are still in this time of quarantine, substitute carrots as your TV snack! Carrots have a lot of health benefits and can be eaten in various ways.

Until next time, stay healthy and safe.