13 Jul Four tips to stick to your diet

July 9, 2018

There’s no magic wand that will force you to eat well and stick to your diet.  However, there are several things you can do that will remove the burden of a restricted diet and even make it fun.

Always have food! 

This may seem counter intuitive if you’ve ever been on a weight loss diet.  When you’re changing eating habits, it’s helpful to have the right food around when you get hungry.  That way you don’t end up eating something you’ll regret later.  Also, when you change what you eat, you may notice changes in your appetite.  If you always have healthy, diet compliant foods around, you’ll have a snack on hand if a midday hunger pain strikes!

Do the grocery shopping while you still have good food to eat

This way you can split up the tasks of grocery shopping and cooking.  Purchase your ingredients for the week one day and then cook the next day.  Bonus tip: NEVER go to the grocery store hungry!  If it’s unavoidable, at least eat a snack (see tip #1) before you go in.

Don’t let this happen to you! Always have good food prepared and ready for when you’re hungry.

Prepare food in advance

Don’t let your refrigerator get empty!  That’s when it becomes tempting to reach for the processed foods or other foods that are a quick fix but keep you from feeling your best.  When you have two days of healthy prepared food left in the refrigerator, it’s time to go grocery shopping.  Start on your meal prep and even cook one or two dishes when there’s only one day’s worth of prepared food left.

Try new recipes

When you’re excited about what’s for dinner, you’ll start to forget about the dietary restrictions.  Take the humble potato for example.  It can be turned into a bowl of luxurious mashed potatoes, a crazy crispy tornado potato, a pile of exotically spiced potato patties, or the base of a heartwarming soup.  Look through the ETP recipe catalog for ideas or contact us about food coaching if you want recipes and menus tailored specifically to your dietary needs.

Following these four tips will make it easier to change your eating habits.  Remember, you aren’t doing it alone.  ETP is here to help you every step of the way with recipes, menus, tips, and coaching.