Where to Start When You Want to Eat Healthier

Not sure where to begin with healthy eating? Learn how a simple 7 to 10 day food journal reveals your habits and sets the stage for lasting change.

If you want to eat healthier but aren't sure where to begin, I'd love to help you get started. My first suggestion is a food journal. It shows you exactly what you're eating and the nutritional value you're adding to your body.

Try keeping a fairly detailed journal for 7 to 10 days. Write down what you ate, how much, and when. Then note how you felt within 2 to 12 hours afterward. It takes a little extra time and thought, but you'll gain a much clearer picture of your eating habits.

This is the same process I walk my clients through. I like to understand their eating habits before we ever meet, so food journaling is where we always begin. From there, you can decide whether to make small tweaks or bigger changes. Did you have a tough week and eat more processed foods than you planned? Be gentle with yourself, and get curious about why. Was it a mindset or a behavior that needs some attention?

If this is simply how you eat day to day, you can start swapping in healthier habits one at a time. If you're dealing with bothersome symptoms, more than a few tweaks may be needed. Things to watch for include skin issues, bloating or gas, bad breath, constipation, loose stools, and mood swings. If your symptoms are persistent or severe, please check in with your healthcare provider. Be sure to track your water intake as well, because what you drink matters just as much as what you eat.

What Does Healthy Eating Actually Look Like?

Your body is unique, so healthy eating will look different for each person. Some people can enjoy foods from many different groups. Others have food sensitivities and need to cut back on certain foods. This is where functional medicine testing can be so helpful. Several tests can be done at home: you order the kit, it's mailed to you, and once you have your results you can work with a health practitioner toward reducing or restoring your sensitivities.

This is how I was able to help myself. There was a time when my eating was very limited. When food sensitivities are at play, supplements are often needed to restore the microbiome (your gut), and full restoration, which is the goal, can take time depending on how significant the sensitivities are.

For me, it was lactose intolerance. It began in my 20s and lasted for decades. I avoided milk for the most part, and although ice cream seemed fine for a while, eventually it wasn't. Fast forward to my 50s: I now enjoy milk that's as close to raw as I can get (I've used raw milk many times in baking) in a mid-afternoon smoothie, without the issues I had when I was younger. I want to be honest, though. It took a lot of work to restore and repair my gut microbiome to get here. I also regularly muscle test (applied kinesiology) to confirm that the foods I'm eating will benefit my body rather than burden it. That matters deeply to me, because so many foods today contain toxins.

Keep Tweaking, and Don't Skimp on Quality

As you begin making changes, remember that this is a continual process. I'm still adjusting my own habits. What you once thought was good for you may turn out to be less beneficial than you believed, and that's okay. Quality food is vital for optimal health, so this is one area where I encourage you not to skimp or haggle over price.

Not sure where to find quality food? Visit your local farmers markets, farm stands, or farms that have a stand of their own. There are more of them out there than you might think, and shopping there is a wonderful way to support the farmers in your community.

If this was helpful and you'd like some guidance and accountability along the way, I'd be delighted to hear from you. Please visit my website to schedule a video discovery call and learn more about the programs I offer.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!