Healthy Eating: Starting a Plan for Change

If you have decided to start a healthy eating plan, congratulations! Making that decision is an important step in becoming a healthier person.

Keep these key points in mind:

• When you're trying to develop new habits-whether it's healthy eating, getting more exercise, or quitting smoking-you have a better chance of success if you make a plan ahead of time.
• Knowing why you want to eat healthier can help you make changes in your eating habits. And writing down your reasons will be a good reminder later on if you get discouraged.
• A plan for forming new habits includes long-term and short-term goals as well as ideas for getting past barriers-things that might get in the way of your success.
• Start with small, short-term goals that you can reach pretty easily. It's easier to stay with something new when you have early, frequent successes.
• Support from family and friends can go a long way toward helping you find success in eating healthier. Don't be afraid to let them know what you're trying to do-and ask for their help.   

Eating one healthy meal isn't hard. It may not even be hard to eat three healthy meals in a single day. The hard part is making changes in your daily life so that you start eating healthy every day-and keep eating healthy every day.

It's all about changing your habits. And changing your habits is easier if you make a plan first.

Starting a life of healthy eating-or making any kind of change in the way you live your daily life-is like being on a path. The path leads to success. There are three steps that can help you get started:

1. Have your own reasons for wanting to change.
2. Set goals.
3. Think about what might get in your way, and prepare for slip-ups.

Your reason for wanting this is really important. Don't do it because someone else wants you to. What makes you want to start eating healthier foods?

• You have a specific health concern (your heart, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, your bones and muscles, or something else).
• You want to feel better and have more energy.
• You want to lose weight.
• You have another reason for wanting to do this.

Write down your reasons for wanting to make this change. Put the list where you can see it easily. It will be a daily reminder of why you want to make a change.
It?s not easy to make changes. But taking the time now to really think about what will motivate or inspire you will help you stay with it.