There seem to be almost as many excuses these days for not dieting as there are actual diet and exercise plans. If you want to be successful in your weight loss efforts, don’t fall for any of these common excuses. Here are some of the excuses you’ll want to avoid, as well as ways to get around these common pitfalls.
Healthy Foods are Too Expensive
Individuals who are unaccustomed to cooking healthy meals commonly use this excuse. In reality, healthy foods such as beans, lentils, frozen vegetables and fresh produce in season are often less expensive as compared to unhealthy, high calorie alternatives. It’s important to remember that most name brand pre-packaged foods are priced to support their expensive advertising budgets. In fact, you might be surprised how much money you can save by skipping the chips, cookies, sugar-sweetened beverages and other unhealthy foods. With the money you’ve saved, stock up on canned fruits and vegetables or dried beans, lentils and legumes. By buying “just the basics,” you can usually save money while eating healthier.
It Takes Too Much Time to Eat Healthy
Proper preparation is the key to getting healthy meals prepared in a hurry. If you’ve become accustomed to fast food meals or unhealthy prepared foods that you simply “heat and eat,” it’s easy to understand why eating healthy seems to take a bit more time. To cut down on preparation time, do a bit of pre-planning. For example, try browning several pounds of lean ground turkey at the same time, dividing it up into smaller containers to freeze for future meals. You can also cut down on food preparation time without sacrificing health and quality by using frozen vegetables or bags of pre-prepared salad greens.
It’s Impossible to Eat Healthy Meals in Restaurants
If you’re on the go a lot, chances are you frequently have to eat one or meals a day at a restaurant. However, this doesn’t mean that your restaurant meals can’t be healthy, low calorie, nutritious and delicious. Skip the fast food restaurants and look for restaurants that offer “real” food. Order a salad, but make sure the dressing is served on the side. Politely refuse the basket of bread and butter that the waiter or waitress is likely to bring you before your meal arrives. Choose grilled or broiled foods instead of those that are battered or deep-fried. Instead of having a piece of pie or cake for dessert, opt for fresh fruit instead. If you’re eating with another person, try sharing a few of the dishes. You’ll probably find that a half a serving will be just as satisfying as eating an entire portion. This can be a great way to savor a few of your favorites without going overboard on calories.