What is Your Food Ritual?

Our daily decisions and habits have a huge impact upon both our levels of happiness and success. – Shawn Achor

As much as we think we are spontaneous, we are all creatures of habit. Maybe you eat the same breakfast every day, or maybe you frequently go out to try different restaurants for dinner; both are examples of habitual routines in your week. Routines, however, can make or break your nutrition plan.

What is your food ritual? Is Starbucks your first stop in the morning before work, or do you make coffee/tea at home? Do you pack up your own lunch and snacks, or is the vending machine and closest fast food restaurant your source of food for a typical workday? Do you cook more than enough for convenient leftovers, or are frozen dinners your convenience?

Healthy rituals will set you on track to your goals, but unhealthy habits can prevent you from achieving success. As John Steinbeck wrote in East of Eden, “It’s a hard thing to leave any deeply routine life, even if you hate it.” Habits are hard to break, but not impossible! The key to successfully implementing and maintaining healthy habits is simple. Look at your current daily routine and find where you can incorporate a little “healthier” change into it.

Here are some common routines and how to make a healthy change:

– Does your breakfast routine include ordering a multigrain bagel with peanut butter and medium coffee with cream? Sounds relatively healthy, but this can cost upwards of 600 calories, more sugar than you realize, and your breakfast sets the stage for inflammation.  Instead, plan ahead. Put quality whole grain sprouted bread (if you do not have a gluten allergy or intolerance) and natural nut butter on your grocery list. It will take less time to toast and spread at home than it will to drive to your local coffee shop.

– Are you always eating from the vending machine at work to get through your day? Anticipate your need for fuel throughout the day. If you know you always run to the break room at 3:00pm to survive the rest of the day, bring your own healthy and convenient snacks to work. Nuts or pumpkin seeds with a piece of fruit, hummus and cutup veggies, organic Greek yogurt (if you have a fridge); popping these in a lunch box on your way out the door will save you from the midday slump without sacrificing your nutrition plan.

- Are most or all of your meals not cooked at home?  The more meals eating away from home (or at least not made at home), the more you lose control of quality, portions, calories and your health goals.  The good news is you do not need a lot of time to make food at home!  Start with extremely simple recipes - baked herb-rubbed chicken breasts, a pan of roasted veggies, a healthy crockpot dish - and make sure they are recipes that will take 1-3 hours max to make all of them.  Then pick a day of the week that you can spend a couple hours in the kitchen.  Two hours in the kitchen on Sunday can lead to 5 days worth of healthy meals and increase your chance to reach your health goals!

– Do you enjoy trying different restaurants for dinner? Strategize beforehand. Go to the restaurant’s website and preview their menu. Some places may even have nutrition information. Remember that preparation methods like baked, broiled, steamed and sautéed are better options than fried, breaded, “crispy” and creamy. Load up on veggie sides and a quality protein. Try “tapas” style restaurants that serve several small plates. This is a wonderful way to taste a variety of foods without compromising the waist line.

Rituals make our lives more enjoyable and sometimes easier. You don’t have to get rid of your rituals, just make healthy amendments to them. You will find a healthier routine brings with it a happier and healthier you!