For anyone who is trying a new healthy lifestyle, sticking to the diet can be tough, especially with so much temptation around us. Last year however I managed to finally adjust my lifestyle for the better and whilst it did take a few tries, my good friend Anouk Govil was on hand to help me out. Anouk is a personal trainer so he knew just what it takes to turn my life around, and with a few simple tips, I was able to stay strong with my diet and ensure that I could change my life for the better. If you are looking to make a change, here are some steps which can help you out.

Prepping

The preparation of your meals and your food is the most important thing which you should be doing if you want to stick to your plan. When you have been shopping, prepare your salad and your vegetables as soon as you get home. The reason for this is so that when you are feeling peckish but a little bit lazy, you will have something on hand, ready to eat. These are the times when we usually snack on convenience food so making sure that you have prepped right is going to be essential.

Meal Planning

Uncertainty in terms of what you want to eat can also lead to us grabbing something quickly which is probably unhealthy. To avoid this, and to help you with your shopping list, prepare a menu for the week ahead, and be sure that you stick to it. Having a menu means that you can even prepare meals ahead of time and then freeze them for later in the week, when you have a little less energy cook. What meal preparation like this will also help with, is it will help you to work out how many calories and nutrients you are getting in each meal, which is obviously essential to your healthy eating plan.

Snack Busters

I would wholeheartedly recommend that you are constantly armed with snacks that can kill hunger, yet aren’t unhealthy. I generally take about two or three Tupperware boxes to work with me, that are filled with some mixed nuts, some chopped carrots, cucumber or peppers, and usually some celery with some Philadelphia. These snacks are healthy and they can help you to stop feeling hungry until it is time to eat again.

Sleep and Water

Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep, and drinking sufficient water through the day. A good night’s sleep will ensure that your body is prepared for the day ahead, and that it is breaking down your food in a normal manner, to alleviate hunger. Water is vital to stay hydrated of course, which aids the body in many ways, but it is also necessary to kill hunger. Very often we may think we are hungry when actually we simply need some water to rehydrate ourselves.

These may appear like simple tips, but they really do work and can help you with your healthy lifestyle.