Food choices

Every day is a choice. Do I want to eat healthy? Do I want to continue looking and feeling the way I currently do? I'm proud to say I've been doing better with eating healthier and watching what exactly I'm eating and how much. I got the MyFitnessPal app and track everything. I took 4 days off while on vacation because I was eating so much I just couldn't keep track, it was bad and I felt terrible after getting home. I'm happy to say I'm back on the eat right bandwagon. Portion sizes, healthy snacks and only eating when I'm truly hungry (not just bored) have been my focus. 

Portion sizes: America is out of control on this one. No way people need to eat that much food for one meal. If we eat out I either split something with my DH or take half home for a later meal. Not only does this save us money but I don't feel like I need a nap after leaving a restaurant anymore. Also counting my calorie intake has made me realize how much food I need vs how much food I think I want.

Cheat sheet {pin}

Healthy snacks: This one was a struggle. I like chocolate, like really, really like chocolate. I use to keep a bag (large bag, not single serving bag) of dark chocolate peanut M&Ms in my desk drawer at work. They were my crutch. Bad afternoon? Just eat some M&Ms. I wouldn't say I've been depriving myself of chocolate but I've surely cut back and that's one thing I never thought I could do. I've also started bringing at least one piece of fruit with me to work. This way I can open that snack drawer and eat something good for me instead of making a trip to the vending machine. My Diet Coke consumption is also down which is a good thing.

Tip: Create a healthy snack station and always keep it stocked in your fridge and/or pantry so you avoid the temptation of grabbing something not so healthy. {pin}

Only eat when you are hungry: This was my BIGGEST downfall. I'm the type of person who will snack all day long. Munch on this, take a handful of that. Well all those little things add up and I started to realize I was doing it out of boredom not out of hunger. I knew water was the key. Now that I wasn't drinking so much Diet Coke, I needed to replace it with something else. I just can't drink 8 cups of plain water every day. It's boring -- and remember boredom leads to me eating when I'm not really hungry. My trick is the low/no calorie mixes for your water. Yes like those super yummy Dasani Drops. They do the trick for me. I drink more water because it seems like a treat to me. So when I feel the urge to open the snack drawer/cabinet I grab a glass of water and drink it then wait about 5-10 minutes. If I still feel like I need to eat then I must be hungry and I'll get a healthy snack (see above). If I'm not feeling the urge anymore then I must just be bored and don't need anything to eat. 

I received Dasani Drops complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

What tips do you have for getting your eating on track? I feel like I have this part down, now I need to start exercising more! One step at a time.