The Hack to Whole Foods
Nowadays, it’s a no-brainer that the best foods for you are plant-based whole foods. The Phytonutrients found in the colorful array of fruits and vegetables are extremely beneficial for promoting good health and skin. We all know that instinctively and I read once the statement, “If you’re reading your food nutrition label, put it down. Whole foods don’t have nutrition labels.” I think about this every time I go grocery shopping. But that is easier said than done.
My biggest hack for eating whole foods is to skip the grocery store. Recently I’ve started shopping at farmers’ markets or Amish markets. COVID made these markets harder to find, but I’ve been able to find a few. Even though they are often a drive from where I live and live next to a grocery store, I would rather make the drive (which I do weekly) than to shop locally. The idea behind it is “out of sight, out of mind.” I think of farmer’s and Dutch markets as specialty shopping, and if there is no chip aisle for me to wander down, I don’t get chips! That means chips aren’t available when I’m looking for a quick snack. What’s available are the carrots and hummus I bought. What I find to be true and say to myself often, because it’s true, is “no one plans to fail... they simply fail to plan.” The best way to fail is to neglect to outline the path to your success. Even if the plan isn’t perfect, at least it’s a place to start. Planning is the hard part, and that’s why we put it off. It requires structure and forethought. Those are two areas where I struggle because I’m a go with the flow, just let it happen kind of person. But I have learned that if I want to tip the scales of life in my favor, I need to put myself in the right place at the right time, make a plan to make that happen, and do it with consistency. Any book about habit forming will tell you to do the same. The less you have to think about your habits, the more self-reinforcing they are. If you want to drink more water, keep it handy, so you never have to look too hard for it and keep things like soda out of the house or much harder to access.
I say all of this to say . . . know yourself. Don’t be afraid to intercept yourself. It’s no secret that what you intake affects what you output, not just in the gym but in life. Plant-based whole foods will be better for your body to process, which leads to better overall health. So, instead of regularly buying chips and cookies, why not try keeping plant-based snacks in the house (i.e., carrot sticks and hummus, celery, and peanut butter, to name just a few). If you are trying to eat less meat, don’t purchase it. In that way, you’ll have to leave the house or travel to the store to get it. This will slow down your brain and allow you to think before acting; you might surprise yourself and decide it’s not worth it and make a different choice altogether. In a culture that is always running late, it takes real effort to slow down and be mindful about your choices. It’s far easier to do what’s comfortable and available, but how has that been going for you?
If you are still reading this blog, it’s because you acknowledge that you can do better, and you have the desire to do better. I know that society would have you believe that you need to take grand leaps and master the art of life in six (6) weeks, but in reality, it’s the small sustainable changes that will make the most significant impact on your life. For me, it has been habit building, learning about everything, and making a plan. To date, these have been the three most impactful tools for becoming the person I’ve always wanted to be!