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Simple changes for big results

Amy Gorman

We understand the why and what to do when choosing to make healthier choices, but often the how is the limiting factor.


Let's look at simple ways to make choices easier to implement.


Environment

  • Plan ahead

    1. Book an appointment with yourself every weekend to think ahead and make a plan for your time and your shopping

      1. Friday night can be a great time for this while you remember what went right or wrong in the week and to signal the week is over

      2. Sunday can also be a good one, so you encourage an organised, lower intensity day

      3. Either leave you Saturday to enjoy life

  • Stock the fridge

It’s a fairly standard reaction to panic, or feel fear when we’re hungry, or we don’t know when our next meal is coming (blame our hunter-gatherer ancestors), so make sure that even if you don’t have a plan, you at least have a fridge, freezer and cupboards full of quality produce - i.e. not cereal, chocolate biscuits and super noodles

  • Change big pans and plates for smaller ones

Your brain responds to visual cues, so if you’re cutting calories by making portions smaller, but still using huge plates, your brain is going to think you don’t have enough food because there’s lots of empty space

  1. Get a smaller plate

  2. Fill the empty space with nutritious, low-calorie veggies

  • Eat from a plate, not a Tupperware or meal prep box

    1. Food is meant to be enjoyed, not nuked in the microwave and then devoured from plastic

    2. You could do one better and swap your plastic for glass or metal containers

  • Make the foods you should eat more visible

    1. Put fruit in a bowl on the counter, not at the back of the fridge

    2. Leave your water bottle next to the sofa, or at your desk (or both) so you remember to drink throughout the day

  • Focus on your meal, not your phone

    1. You can’t listen to hunger cues if you’re listening to YouTube/Instagram/reading emails

  • Get your sleep routine nailed

    1. Let your brain relax - remove stimulants:

      1. Turn your phone off 30 minutes before bed, wash your face, have a light stretch, wear blue light blocking glasses, journal,

    2. Make it dark:

      1. Grab an eye mask, invest in good blackout blinds

    3. Cool things down:

      1. Open a window, invest in a good fan or lighter duvet

Make fruit and veg more obvious to increase consumption

Food quantity and quality

  1. Look at your daily empty calories

    1. Flat white swap for a filter with milk

    2. Full fat Coke for diet

    3. Use a non-stick pan instead of copious amounts of un-tracked oil/butter

    4. Mid-morning biscuits for a protein yoghurt and almonds

  2. Swap some heavy carbs for veggies

    1. I didn’t say totally get rid of them, I said make a sub of some (i.e. half or a third)

The pan on the left looks like it has less food, in reality the left portion is bigger

Feeling hangry mid-afternoon?

  • Grab a drink of water

  • Plan in a snack

    1. Protein shake or bar

    2. Sandwich (or half)

    3. Yoghurt, nuts and fruit

    4. Half portion of lunch

    5. Smoothie

  • Slightly increase your breakfast and lunch calories by adding a little fat

    1. Peanut butter in your oatmeal

    2. Oats in your smoothie

    3. Avocado to your salad

    4. Cheese to your sandwich

    5. Often fats help us feel more satisfied - look at this if you’ve already nailed your protein for the day (then look at carbs after that)

  • Go for a walk


None of these strategies are wildly complicated, which also makes them easy to implement and adhere to.


Give it a try this week.

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