7 Ways We Fail at Eating Healthy With Guaranteed Solutions! Plus Giveaway!

This blog post was sponsored by Coca-Cola but the opinions are 100 % completely my own based on my experience.

I’m super excited to partner with Coca-Cola on this fun and exciting campaign to #StartSmart2016!  One of the most important things that I am doing this year is focusing on eating more healthy and being more active. 

I’ve found that over the last few years I have really gotten out of some super important healthy habits and because of that, I have gained weight, I’m tired and I’m just plain not too happy with myself.  I’ve been a super health fanatic in the past…and when you know the right things to do but don’t do them…you can feel like such a failure!

So with my Misfit Shine and the following turnarounds, I’m off to  a great Start Smart. Stay Active. Stay Fit. year!

Here are 7 ways we fail at eating healthy with Guaranteed Solutions!

I’ve gotten back to exercising with a group of ladies at the school I work at and I’m doing a quick work out in the morning at home.  Some of the problems I’ve run into in my old habits are:

Problem #1 ~ With eating healthy and exercising…can you guess?  It all takes time!  Who has time?!

Solution ~

Well my friend, if it’s important enough to us, we will make the time. I have this funny little idea of wanting to see my younger children’s children!  Since I am 56 and I STILL have a 15, 17 and 19 year old that aren’t near having kids yet…well you get the picture!  So it’s super important for me to take care of this body I have and help to create good eating habits with my kids (who are high level athletes)

One of the reasons that I have found that we’ve failed to eat healthy sometimes is because we are so busy.  So one of the things that we have been doing is making up lots of healthy foods ahead of time.  Then when we’re in a pinch, we already have “fast food” healthy food at our finger tips! No excuses!

Problem #2 ~ We can be lazy!

Solution ~ Let’s face it, we live in a fast food, pill for every ill, I want what I want when I want it world.  It takes effort to get ready for the week.  To cut up veggies, to make some healthy homemade soups etc.  I’m no different than you, I want fast and quick and ummm lazy.  The truth is this…one or two hours of food prep once a week, will allow you to be “lazy” the rest of the week! LOL

Problem #3 ~ Out of site out of mind.

Solution ~ There are these secret drawers in our refrigerators that beautiful produce goes to die.  You know what I mean! Look at at the picture above…now look at this one below:

Which is more likely to be eaten up? Not that we can’t use these drawers for extra…as you can see I do.  I use them for foods like mushrooms, tomatoes (I don’t cut these up until I want to use) Onions etc. but let’s not send our produce to die in there.

Problem #4 ~ We haven’t taken time to learn what foods are healthy and what aren’t. Therefore eating not so healthy foods.

Solution ~ Grab yourself a few easy reading books and read up on healthy eating.  Read your labels when buying foods and buy as fresh as possible.   It only takes a few guidelines to be sure you are buying the most wholesome foods.  Learn what is in your food and buy accordingly.  It would take more than just a blog post to teach about this…but there are TONS of simple educational resources about healthy eating…take time to learn.

Problem #5 ~ All or nothing thinking. 

Solution ~ Aww my friend, we will all give up if we have to be perfect.  Allow yourself to get a few healthy items at the store that you don’t have to fix but are still healthy. Life can be hard sometimes…so if one week you are just plain too tired, a crisis has happened or whatever.  Don’t give up just because you didn’t get to follow your plan for one week.

Coca Cola has some great healthy choices that will help you reach your goals and Start Smart. Stay Active and Stay Fit this coming year.

We tried the new Fairlife Ultra Pasteurized chocolate milk and regular 2% Ultra Pasteurized that you can buy at Safeway and Albertsons, my fam LOVED!  My teens devoured the Fairlife Chocolate Milk, which is totally fine with me!  Just a little side note…if you do long intense distance running (like they do in basketball) Chocolate Milk is super good for recovery!  I love that Fairlife is also from cows not treated with rBST. 

and Simply Orange….well it’s Simply Orange! YUM…another favorite in our household for staying on target and eating healthy.

Problem #6 ~ We buy TOO MANY over processed and not so healthy snack foods…then we eat them.  HA!

Solution ~ I admit it…I have no self control when it comes to my very favorite snack foods.  There is only one solution to this problem, don’t buy them! Ouch!  If the rest of your family begs for snacks, I highly suggest you buy something you don’t care for and make sure that your family knows that you are buying these snack foods only on occasion.  Rather than a weekly or daily habit.  Again…balance.  Deprivation…will lead to rebellion, we don’t want that!

Problem #7 ~ We buy foods that are good for us…but we really don’t like them.

Solution ~ We should always be striving to try new foods.  Especially the ones that are super good for us, BUT if we are buying foods that we are just not going to eat then we can get discouraged by the amount of money we are spending AND the amount of food we eventually waste.  I used  to HATE Broccoli but I was determined to learn to like it because it is so good for you.  It took me a while but now I LOVE it!  It pays to be persistent…but don’t let it go into that deep dark drawer

Make a list of foods you would really eat and a list of foods you want to try.  Think of ways you can easily prepare them so that they are your “go to” fast foods.  You can use the printable below (simply right click and save):

Being in tune with our bodies is SO important.  Making sure we get enough sleep, getting enough exercise and of course the above…healthy eating.  A healthy lifestyle is work but can also be fun! I received this fun Misfit Shine from Coca Cola and I love how I can keep track of my steps and sleep patterns!

Have you ever wondered what it was like to see what your sleep patterns are?  To see how much you really walk a day?  To celebrate the Start Smart. Stay Active. Stay Fit. campaign, Coca Cola is giving away 1,000 Misfit Shine’s! 

Enter here for your chance to win a Misfit ShineTM Fitness + Sleep Monitor

I’m looking forward to hearing all of your tips and tricks for a more balanced and healthy year!

Linking up at these great parties!