Even though the fundamental purpose of eating and drinking is to fuel your body, mealtimes should be enjoyable, not to mention delicious, part of your daily routine.
Unfortunately, the brain is hardwired to be addicted and overtly tempted by candy, cakes, chocolate, and pastries due to the high sugar content, making it hard for most people to ‘stay on track’ when wanting to maintain as healthy a body as possible.
So, for all such well-meaning individuals, here is how to stay healthy yet still enjoy delicious food every single day.
Change Your Mindset Around Exercise
Should you be someone who forces themselves to go for a morning run due to overconsumption of the left-over Easter eggs the night before, this will only serve to perpetuate the mental link between exercise and work.
Instead, steep yourself in literature dealing with the many benefits to not only your physical health but your emotional wellbeing too, as a way of reframing your attitude to exercise.
The advantages of regular exercise to your mental health include:
- A way of releasing stress and giving yourself time and space to think
- Heightened levels of motivation and focus
- A healthier appetite
- A boost to your self-esteem and a sense of achievement
- A way to rid yourself of anger and frustration
Make Shrewd Choices When Dining Out
Here in the US, there is no mandatory ruling that restaurants and diners are legally required to state the number of calories contained within each item on their menu; however, more and more eateries are choosing to do this anyway.
The introduction of calories on menus is a great help for those looking to avoid high-sugar and high-fat foods, but even those menus without a calorie count do not need to be avoided, should you be looking to lose weight or strengthen your heart.
When dining out, make sure you choose restaurants that serve meals containing fresh ingredients and that are fully cooked on-site (even if this means waiting a little longer to be served).
Urban Tandoor is one of the best Indian takeaways in Bristol, and whether eating in their restaurant or ordering food to be delivered, you can rest assured that each dish contains only quality ingredients – plus, that each dish is authentically South Asian in nature.
Enjoy Feeling Full!
When faced with the prospect of second helpings, or when unable to resist the temptation of finishing off the box of chocolates you opened earlier that day, try and slow down your mind long enough to consider whether you are actually going to enjoy what you eat next.
As soon as you are full, any further desire for food comes from your brain and is not a call from your body that you require more sustenance. This is why learning how to strengthen your willpower will not only mean you enjoy the smaller quantities of treats you permit yourself every day but that you will not put yourself at risk of becoming overweight or even obese.