3 Simple Steps To Start Eating Clean

We all deserve to feel our best every day, and while "feeling our best" is different for everyone, some basic, practical ways to get there are to eat more vegetables, drink more water and eat less sugar.

Making those changes can seem overwhelming if you do them all at once, which is usually why no change is made at all. If you use these three steps, though, you can begin eliminating any negative food habits that are making you feel like crap:

1. Decide what a healthy relationship with food looks like to you.

You know what habits you want to break, but what healthy habits do you want to start? Ask yourself what you’d ideally like your relationship with food to look and feel like. If you’re able to define what you want, it will be much easier to start taking steps toward that. For example, you might say, “I eat mostly fruits, vegetables, and other foods that fuel me, but still eat some treats when I’m craving them so I don’t feel deprived.”

While working on this, be sure to stay realistic about the habits you want to change. If you love chocolate, then trying to get rid of it completely doesn’t make sense. You want to set yourself up for success by making sure your vision is sustainable for you.

2. Break your vision down into actionable steps.

Take what you defined in the first step, and break it down into tiny, doable steps. Focus on one at a time. For example, start by adding in one serving of vegetables per day. This will give you momentum and keep your motivation high. Trying to do everything all at once is very overwhelming, and often ends in feelings of failure.

Once you’ve mastered your first habit, you can move onto the next one with enthusiasm. Working on these simple changes one at a time can help you get rid of all the negative eating habits (eventually). Be patient and consistent with this.

3. Focus on adding in positive change instead of taking out the negative.

If you add new habits, it's much easier for your brain to handle than new restrictions. When you tell yourself to stop a habit, it can make you want to do it more. The more you think about it, the more likely you are to continue with it.

Ultimately, by getting a clear picture of what you want your relationship with food to be like, while keeping it realistic, breaking it down into simple steps, and focusing on adding in positive changes, you’ll be able to get rid of negative eating habits completely.

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