7 Tips for Eliminating Junk Food
One of the best healthy habits that you can establish for yourself is to eliminate your consumption of junk food. This includes any kind of processed food that is filled with chemicals, sugar, processed flour, and fried foods. Basically, a good rule of thumb is if a label has ingredients that you cannot pronounce, don’t eat it.
Our bodies function the best on whole, natural foods. Unfortunately, because of the instant gratification society we live in, fast food and processed foods have become the quickest and easiest form of food. Yet what most people don’t realize or think about is that this source of food is unnatural and lacking nutritional value that our bodies need to function properly.
Benefits of Eliminating Junk Food
- Weight loss
- Overall improved health and wellness
- Increased energy
- Boosted mood
We want to help make your journey as successful as possible, which is why we have created 7 excellent tips to help you eliminate junk food:
- Stop Cold Turkey
Don’t enable your addiction. If you have to have a certain junk food, whether it’s chips, candy or soda, you need to stop consuming it completely. While you may think it is impossible to cut out “junk foods” completely, it is a realistic goal. After your body has gone through a process of detoxifying, you will eventually no longer crave those salty or sweet foods as much as you did before. The amount of time this process will take is different for everyone, usually ranging from six months to a year. After that period of time, your body will start realizing the impact of healthy food and will crave that instead. Of course, there will be special occasions you may want to splurge on that piece of cake, but the good news is that you will be in control of your cravings and not fall into continuous binge eating.
- Don’t Grocery Shop On an Empty Stomach
This can be a major pitfall for your healthy eating habits and may seem obvious; however, many of us have experienced this. If you are hungry before running to the store, grab a small healthy snack so that your rumbling tummy doesn’t entice you to buy tempting snacks.
- Keep Junk Foods Out Of Your Home
Whether you are trying to lose weight, or simply eat healthier, don’t set yourself for failure by having bad foods at home. Though this may seem obvious it’s an easy trap to fall into. If you have ice cream sitting in your freezer that’s calling your name, sooner or later you will give in, so don’t make it any harder on yourself than it has to be.
- Bring Healthy Snacks Or Meals On The Go
When you’re on the go, it’s very easy to go through a drive through. If you know that you will be gone for a certain amount of time, plan out how many snacks or meals you need and stick them in zip locks or Tupperware so you can satisfy your hunger without sacrificing your health.
- Find Healthy Alternatives To Your Favorite Foods
If you are unwilling to give up some of your favorite comfort meals, you can always find ways to make a healthier version, for example, Greek yogurt is a great alternative to sour cream, or using coconut oil rather than butter, and even applesauce can be used a great substitute in some baking recipes.
- Get An Accountability Partner
Do you often find yourself skipping the gym, or buying that box of cookies? When you have a friend that is taking the challenge to exercise and eat well too, you are more likely to stay on track. Having an accountability buddy to keep you working toward your goals is a great advantage.
- Design A Healthy Meal Plan
Most often, failure happens when there is a lack of a clear plan and goal in sight. If you don’t know what to eat or where to start, you are more likely to give into the wrong kind of foods. This is why having a meal plan is so important. When you are busy or stressed and don’t have the energy to think about your next meal, looking at your meal plan for the week will guarantee that you stay on track and give your body the nutrition it needs.
Most importantly, don’t give up! Weight loss is about the journey and while there may be bumps in the road, establishing a lifetime of healthy habits is the key to health and wellness.
