Let’s face it: We’re busy, distracted, overwhelmed by bigger challenges. Eating healthfully tends to get pushed down the priority list when you’ve got a crazy work schedule, a brood of kids, or a gaggle of friends insisting on happy hour. And somehow our minds are always capable of justifying those spur-of-the-moment doughnut and potato chip indulgences — it’s PMS! I deserve it! My body needs it!

But eating right is what your body is truly craving; good nutrition is the best way to help the mind tackle those bigger priorities. And it doesn’t have to be about punishing or depriving yourself either. “Overall good eating is not about dieting, but about making small lifestyle changes,” says San Francisco-based nutritionist Kaley Todd, MS, RD. “I’ve found that people who focus in on small changes tend to have larger success and lifelong success.”
Begin now by making small changes with our simple 2-day plan.

Break down the walls. Begin by taking an honest look at your current habits and readiness to change them, says Deborah Kesten, a certified wellness coach and author of The Enlightened Diet. “Are you really ready to change or forcing it? If you’re staying with bad habits, ask yourself what you’re getting out of them.”
Breaking down your psychological state will help you overcome any mental barriers that are keeping you from embracing an exercise routine. Says Kesten, “Once you decide you’re ready to make a change, you can start to envision it and act on it.”

Rethinking your plate. Many nutritionists today are urging people to rethink the core of their diets. Instead of a fatty cut of meat taking the spotlight on your plate, “shift the focus to vegetables, fruits, and whole grains — with the fat and protein being the side dish,” says Todd.

“One of the biggest keys to healthier eating is to add more fruits and vegetables,” says Jackie Newgent, RD, CDN, culinary nutritionist and author of The Big Green Cookbook. “You don’t need to be a vegetarian; small amounts of meats are fine. But I try and incorporate a fruit and vegetable in every recipe. I like to tell people to think of it as adding [excitement] to your diet, not subtracting from what you’re eating. And that way you’ll enjoy it that much more.”

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