Pocket Nutrition. Eat better: make it appealing!

How many times have you heard the saying "we are what we eat"? Well, I'd like to turn this statement around. I believe that we actually eat what we are.

In this post, I'll give you tips to motivate yourself to eat better without eating less. I'm against diets, as any excess or complete absence of something will eventually have a negative effect.

“La naturaleza siempre encuentra la forma de equilibrarse otra vez.”

Alaitz Leceaga

If we approach any form of extremism, it's likely to backfire. To achieve our desired goal, which should always be better health, we should avoid heavy meals and processed foods. As a result of pursuing better health, our physical condition and appearance will improve.

We eat what we are

If, as I stated earlier, eat what we arewe consider our identity in relation to food, the first step will be to become aware of it. How do you see yourself and how do you want to see yourself?

When I started, personally, it felt great to see myself as someone who only buys real products while caring for the environment. This first facet of my identity involves buying seasonal fruits and vegetables , preferably locally sourced..

I didn't identify with being vegetarian, but I did identify with reducing my consumption of red meat. In this context, I recommend you watch the documentary "Cowspiracy", produced by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio.

I also mentioned that I would be a person who doesn't drink sugary sodas and doesn't like junk food. By truly believing and feeling that I'm not the type of person who goes to McDonald's or eats sugary chocolates or cereals, I managed to reduce my consumption of them to almost zero.

I won't lie. Occasionally, I may indulge in some French fries from fast-food restaurants or have some M&M's. But these will be exceptions, not the general rule. Because I truly believe that I am not the type of person who does that..

Start by changing your identity

Exactly, the bookAtomic Habits", which I mentioned in previous postsand recommend again, discusses the idea of acting according to our identity. It suggests that in order to change our actions, we must first change who we are. For example, instead of saying "I go to the gym to work out", we should say "I am a sporty and active person, and regular exercise is part of who I am." Behind every system of actions, there is a system of beliefs.

"Most people start the process of changing their habits by focusing on what they want to achieve. The appropriate alternative is to start by focusing on who we want to become."

James Clear

It also suggests that identity emerges from your habitsIf you accumulate actions that align with the identity you desire, you will be gaining points and moving closer to becoming the person you want to be.

How to make it appealing

Indeed, humans are creatures of habit. This is a well-known fact. It's harder to fight against a habit than to go along with it. Knowing this human characteristic, make it difficult for yourself to eat poorly.

If you don't want to eat ultra-processed foods, simply don't buy them, or if you already have them, hide them. Don't go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, and go with a list of what you really need for your healthy weekly menu.

And on the contrary, if you want to eat more fruit, buy seasonal fruit that you enjoy and place it in a fruit bowl where it's visible. Look for recipes that use vegetables and make them appetizing. Make it attractive! Ripe fruit is delicious, and there are delicious dishes with the right amount of vegetables.

Research has shown that if you have sugary or nutritionally poor products in your fridge or pantry, you are more likely to crave and consume them. In fact, the food industry designs these products to be irresistible and target our reward circuits. Let's save our willpower for when it's absolutely necessary, and make it easy for ourselves to make healthy choices.

Be careful with the "yes but no."

I hope these tips help you eat better without making any titanic effort or going hungry. In the next nutrition post, I will talk to you about why it's important to be careful with restricting certain foods, such as gluten, if we are not allergic or intolerant.

See you soon and happy reading!

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