Have you ever heard the saying “you can’t out exercise a poor diet”? This saying doesn’t just apply to losing weight. In addition to your HIIT Logic workouts, eating a balanced diet is just as essential in order to maintain your mental, physical, and overall health. The holidays can be an especially difficult time to stick to a balanced diet. During busy or stressful times, are you more likely to reach for a bag of chips or prep chicken and a salad? Here are some helpful tips and reminders to keep you motivated through the holidays and into the new year.
- Try the 80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule is simply a guideline to eat 80% of your meals for nutrition, and 20% with more flexibility. The 80/20 rule is not necessarily used to just lose weight. You can apply the 80/20 rule to many areas of your life that need a dose of moderation, because it’s just enough compliance and restriction to see changes but not so much that you can’t ever kick back and enjoy yourself. Not having to follow something 100 percent can help you stick with it long-term.
- Meal prep and plan out your week ahead of time
Pick a time that works for you and your schedule. Choosing one or two days a week to prep a variety of versatile foods is automatically going to save you time and help you eat healthier the rest of the week. Making breakfast, packing lunches, and cooking dinner will all be easier tasks when you have pre-cooked and prepped options ready.
- Diet affects your mental health as much as your physical
According to an article in Harvard Health, “Our brain is always “on.” It takes care of your thoughts and movements, your breathing and heartbeat, your senses — it works hard 24/7, even while you’re asleep. This means your brain requires a constant supply of fuel. That “fuel” comes from the foods you eat — and what’s in that fuel makes all the difference. Put simply, what you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and, ultimately, your mood”. When your mood is affected, other aspects of your life are as well. It’s important to fuel your body properly so you can be at your peak performance.
Instead of “starting over” in the New Year, start building healthy habits during the holidays. Focus on eating for nutrition, making plans ahead of time, and looking at the bigger picture of the effect that diet has on your overall well being.