How to Make a Diet More Fun #healthyeating #weightloss #healthy2022

With the new year on the horizon after the indulgent holiday season, many people focus on eating healthy and losing weight in January. While many people see diets as deprivation, that definitely doesn't have to be the case! I overhauled the way I eat starting last year. I'm down 100 pounds! I love the way I feel...and I love eating healthier foods! Today, The Weekend Gourmet correspondent is sharing some great tips to make eating healthier and losing weight fun and simple. This article may contain affiliate links.

Let's face it, a being on a diet isn't typically seen as the most fun thing in the world. In fact, for a lot of us, a diet can feel a bit like torture. You're afraid that you're going to have to go without some of your favorite foods, that you may feel hungry, or that you won't enjoy it. However, diets don't have to be such a chore! In many cases, all you need is a bit of creativity. Think about the possibilities a little more, and you may find changing how you eat a lot easier. Luckily, there are many ways to make a diet more fun. Below are a few ideas.

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(1) Reframe Your Perspective

Changing your eating habits might not sound like fun on the surface. However, it can also be extremely interesting and challenging. To do this, you may need to question some of your most entrenched ideas about food. In fact, many of us are not even aware our views are changeable. To change your perspective, you need to open your mind -- which can actually be a lot of fun. You need to determine why you see dieting and exercise as boring and unpleasant.

You need to instead start telling yourself that a diet is a good thing, because it's the best way to add nutrients to your body. In turn, this can help you live longer, have more energy, and look better and feel better. You should tell yourself this daily as a motivational technique. You may find your mood improves from doing this. Every week you have successfully adhered to your diet, buy yourself a treat -- perhaps a handbag you've been eyeing. If you see eating healthier as a system of reward, it becomes a win-win situation. The more you can reframe the way you think, the easier it will be. 

(2) Try New Foods

There's a wide variety of healthy foods to choose from, and not all of it is labeled as such. You should use a new diet to be experimental, to reignite your passion for home cooking, and to teach your kids life-long healthy lessons. The next time you're food shopping, why not buy a vegetable you've never eaten before. Find a healthy recipe that showcases how to best cook it...and go wild. Look online for recipes labeled low fat or low calorie. If you try a lot of new foods, you're sure to find some you really enjoy. This can make eating healthy more a pleasure.  

(3) Diet Ranges

Most restaurants -- even fast food restaurants -- offer low-fat and low-calorie menu choices. The next time you're with friends who are ordering food delivery there's no reason why you need to miss out! Simply try one of the restaurant's healthy, low-fat food choices. If nothing is labeled as such, try vegetarian or vegan choices. Plant-based meals generally have fewer calories than meat-centric entrees. You may find that you love meatless dishes too.