Building Healthy Habits with Structure

Did you know that it takes roughly 2 full weeks to break and create new eating habits? In addition, it can take several weeks for your body to adjust cravings and blood sugar irregularities.

Eating well and with structure may be completely new to you or may just be a change to your current plan! Remember to keep things simple at first while you are working on building habits!

It is helpful to find foods that you know work well with your body. Establish goals and create a structured plan for yourself. You can rotate your lunches from week-to-week, to avoid burnout on the same foods and add more variety in the evening with pre-planned dinners for the whole family.

Plan your meals!

When you have a plan in place you will be more likely to adhere to your goals and avoid binging on the wrong foods. Keep plenty of batch cooked veggies, whole grains, proteins and fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, avocados, etc. available for quick and easy meal options!

• Roast a chicken turkey, beef/bison to have left overs for 3-4 days.

• Find a good quality deli meat shop for sliced meats—turkey, roast beef.

• Make “Lettuce Sandwiches”—a large leaf of romaine lettuce, topped with a slice of protein and slice of tomato—roll up and eat! Make ahead of time for quick grabbing, using a toothpick to hold together or in a zip-lock bags for those meals away from home.

• Keep hard-boiled eggs on hand—boil 1 dozen eggs at a time.

• Cook turkey, chicken, beef/bison sausages ahead of time. Sauté́ onions in a large skillet and add sausages. Cooking several at a time will keep you prepared for those “I need to grab something quick” moments. Place in Tupperware along with some vegetables or clock into a salad.

• Salads—create ahead of time in a large covered/Tupperware bowl (will usually stay fresh 2-3 days)

• Prepare vegetables ahead of time making them easy—i.e. celery sticks, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

• Take your lunches—Tupperware container of salad with tuna, chicken, fish, beef/bison, sausages.

• Pack your own homemade dressings, or bring lemon juice and vinegar with you!

• Use your weekend—plan, shop, & prepare for the upcoming week

• Use your evening—plan & prepare for the following day, the best time to make lunch is the night before

IDEAS!

BREAKFAST:

• Eggs- scrambled, over-easy, sunny-side-up, poached with sautéed vegetables in a little olive oil. Push to side or pan and proceed to cook eggs in the vegetable/oil/juice or add eggs and scramble

• Omelets- lots of sautéed veggies and other options specified in your plan.

 LUNCH:

• Salad with chicken, tuna., eggs, turkey, bison, beef, etc. (i.e., chicken salad, Cobb salad with vinaigrette dressing)

·  Chicken, turkey, fish, bison, beef with sautéed vegetables or salad

·   Dinner leftovers—chicken, turkey, fish, meats with vegetables or salad

DINNER:

• Beef, turkey, seafood, chicken, bison—marinated, grilled, steamed, poached, herbed, spiced, baked; with salad vegetables and appropriate portions of rice/potatoes

EATING OUT:

• Meat, chicken, fish, turkey, bison—grilled, steamed, poached, stir fry w/salad, vegetables and appropriate rice/potatoes

• Ask for substitutions of vegetables, salads in place of starches

• Ask them to hold the bread basket or chips