Continuous Improvement Fitness

I have experienced again that you can improve your diet with an easy fix. Recently we have moved and due to the worldwide pandemic things got a bit rushed and more hectic than we anticipated. Nevertheless we arrived safely in the Netherlands and all of a sudden certain types of food became available to us again. Things we normally were unable to get. I have to admit, for me it was mainly some specific Dutch cookies (..), but also the amount of meat, fish and other regular products become more available for us.

Due to this recent and new availabity we indulged and in large quantities. It was within weeks that I certainly noticed on the scale that the quantity (and types of food I consumed) had its effect on me. This was more importantly not on the scale, but more in my mood and energy levels throughout the day.

First Attempt to Improve my Diet

The first attempt I undertook to improve my diet with an easy adjustment was to buy less of the cookies and reduced the amount of food we would have for dinner. Despite these precautions, something happened to torpedo my attempt. As I have written in a previous post (Processed Foods – Why to Stay Away) there are certain foods that have a combination of ingredients that will override your feeling of satiety, but also create a response in your brain that is comparable to a reaction to opiates. So, somehow I consciously or subconciously was aware that there were cookies somewhere in the cupboard. Once I saw the package, I had the thought that it could be opened just as easily. I gave in to that thought maybe half of the time. Until I found the simplest solution to that problem.

Best Change to Implement

Well… What is the final change I have implemented that really cleaned up my diet? It was so simple and relatively easy, but I hear of so many people who do not give this a try. What I implemented was the following:

JUST DO NOT BUY THE FOOD YOU WOULD OVER-EAT

Very simple, very easy and very, very, very effective. If you don’t have it in your cupboard or fridge, you will not eat it. There is really not much more to it. I know that if you are not the only person in the household it is less easy to implement, but try to suggest changing unhealthy snack for healthier options. And if you always kept some snack available for (un)expected guests, you can always do some last minute shopping or just offer your healthier snacks. Especially in the current Covid-19 the change of receiving guests is very low and this approach will benefit you a lot.

What To Do Now?

I know that this is not the most unexpected and revealing way to improve your diet. But it surely is one that truly works. If you are serious about your health and fitness goals, you should also be serious about setting yourself up for success. So make sure you clean up your cupboards, fridge and freezer and only replenish with healthy options (if any). The other obvious tip to go shopping after a meal (that is: not being hungry) also helps with this. If you have any questions about this or other ways to improve your diet, feel free to get in touch through a comment below, an email or the Contact Page.

Start now, not tomorrow!