I think the short answer to this would be yes!!
It seems that when life gets crazy or even a little stressful, the first thing to go is my goal of healthy eating. Why is that?
Well, I think there are lots of reasons.
For starters, eating healthy takes a lot of PLANING! To begin with, it’s imperative to have the right kinds of food in your house. This is usually produce, which doesn’t have a year shelf life like most processed foods. This is turn ultimately means more trips to the grocery store. And then, even if you have the right foods, it’s not like you are just opening a can and throwing it into the microwave for lunch. A healthy meal usually takes a little more preparation. So if I am running around all day, it takes a conscious effort to make sure my meals aren’t as hectic as my day.
Next off, it takes DEDICATION. I am always amazed at how easily this can slip into “indifference”. I know for me, if I’ve had a bad day I suddenly “don’t care” what I have for dinner as long as it’s quick and doesn’t take much brain power. It seems that I am constantly needing to “recharge” myself and my commitment to a healthier lifestyle. This is a really important part of keeping myself on track. There are numerous ways I do this. First of all I am almost always reading some sort of nutrition book. If I feel like I’m starting to “slip”, when I pick up a book and read about all the benefits of a plant-based diet, suddenly I feel a surge to improve my eating. I recently read an article by a marketing executive that basically said, “People have no idea how many million of dollars are spent on making us want to eat foods that are not good for us”. He said that when you walk down the cereal isle alone you are bombarded with thousands of messages that we don’t even realize. The only way to offset this in our brain is to reprogram it with truthful facts about food. I also love to get together with other “Mommies” and just talk nutrition. It never gets old for me!! Lastly, I find that looking at great recipes or great websites can give me a quick little “boost” that I might need that day. Every little bit helps!
So is eating healthy difficult? Well, like I said, the short answer is yes, but the long answer is NO!!!! It definitely takes time to adjust into a lifestyle of healthy living. But eventually it becomes second nature. Where at one point you might have stared at a can of pinto beans in the pantry week after week quizically wondering when you ever use it; soon enough you are opening it almost unconsciously because you are so used to your new way of life! It gets easier and easier, and you start to feel better and better. Never underestimate the power of what we use to fuel our bodies. Living enzymes make us feel more alive! Our thoughts are clearer. Soon you might even detect a little bounce in your step. I can honestly say there is not any bouncing going on for me after eating chocolate cake. As much as I might enjoy each bite, the aftermath never seems worth it. I never feel sluggish after a fantastic homemade salad. In the end, if I FEEL better, my life IS better! So the long answer is NO, eating healthy is not hard because of how much I benefit from it! (Now If I can only remember that EVERY single time the grumbling in my stomach begins!)
Life is too great to ever waste any time feeling lousy!
Source: WFM Blog – 2