There’s a huge myth out there that to be healthy, you have to give up your favorite foods. Nothing could be further from the truth, and holistic health does include eating the foods you love, even if they aren’t the healthiest. Your physical health isn’t the only part of you that needs attention, and indulging in the things you love (including food!) is great for your mental health. The key word here is balance. So how can you enjoy your favorites while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle? Read on for some easy tips to help you in managing junk food.
Don’t splurge on everything
We all have our splurges. My dessert of choice is pie. Very few things in life are as amazing as a really good piece of pie. So I eat the pie, no questions asked, no guilt.
But I don’t also then eat all the ice cream.
Your favorite junk foods that you can’t possibly give up? Don’t give them up. But maybe give up, or cut back, on all of those others that you don’t actually feel that strongly about. You might like that bag of Doritos, but do you love it? Does eating that bag of chips actually bring you joy, or is just a snack that tastes good? If it’s the latter, then that might be where you find a healthier substitute or cut it out all together. Make sure what you’re splurging on is actually what’s worth it and walk away from the rest.
Balance it out
Eat too much birthday cake at your friend’s party this weekend? Did you go home and just couldn’t say no to a second helping of your mom’s mac and cheese?
We’ve all been there. Just tip the scales back towards the healthier side by making sure you’re packing your next few meals full of nutrition. It’s not about making up for the calories, because calorie counting isn’t the most effective way to be healthy, but rather making up for any nutritional deficit. If you missed out on those veggies during a vacation, be conscious of adding more to your meals when you return. If you consumed more sugar than you usually do, be aware of eating low sugar foods for a bit. Think of it as a see-saw. If you add too much on one end, try to balance it back out on the other. It’s not a “eat whatever you want” free pass, but since life happens, it’s a good way to get back on track.
Make it healthier – if you can
There are tons of healthy alternatives to our favorite junk foods, and often the substitute kills the craving without completely going off the healthy eating deep end. If you’re an ice cream fan, there are tons of options that limit the damage. My personal favorite is Halo Top, and despite what some of my (hater) friends say, it’s just as good as ice cream for me.
But if you’re on their team, it’s probably not worth it. What ends up happening is that you still crave what you actually want, and will probably end up eating the healthier alternative AND what you originally wanted to eat in the first place. If it’s not a substitute that does it for you, call it a splurge and manage it appropriately.
Give yourself a break
Remember when I said that eating food you love is beneficial for your mental health? Good. Don’t erase those benefits by beating yourself up over not being a perfect, healthy eater all of the time. Very few people follow an ideal diet every second of their lives. You don’t need to be perfect in order to see progress, or to be doing great overall.
If you feel like you overindulged, take a step back and try to figure out why. If you find it happening often and you can’t quite figure out a solution, try working with a health coach for some extra support.
Author: Rachel
Rachel is a licensed therapist and co-founder of Viva Wellness. She gets most of her inspiration for the blog while on the run, and if you ever need to find her, she’s probably in Central Park. If she’s not running, you’ll find her planning the next time she’s going to eat, exploring all things wellness in NYC, or raising her stress level by watching her sports teams.
