A Simple Method for Healthy Eating

One simple method I’ve heard for healthy eating is the “19-2 Rule”. This method assumes you have three meals a day, seven days a week, making 21 meals total. Of these, 19 must be healthy, but the remaining two can consist of what you like.

Why am I condoning eating unhealthily, even if it is for only two meals a week?

Well let’s face it – few people (myself included) are disciplined enough to make 100% of their nutrition healthy. For people that have social commitments (or similar) involving a meal, this method provides you some leeway. If you think about it, this rule also applies some of the elements of SMART goal setting (think about the difference between “Oh it’s ok, I can eat junk food every now and then” versus “Oh it’s ok, this is my second junk meal for the week. But after this, it’s healthy eating until next week”).

Simple? In theory, yes. In practice, it can be more difficult.

If 19-2 is too much of a jump from your current habits, then start with something more achievable for you (the “A” from SMART). Write down roughly what your current breakdown of healthy to unhealthy meals is and work up from there (for example, if your current ratio is about eleven healthy to ten unhealthy meals, perhaps a wise goal is to first aim for 13:8 for two weeks and then modify again). This will give you a good way to measure (the “M” from SMART) your progress and will give your mind a goal which is more concrete (hence making it more achievable).

If healthy eating in itself is something you want to learn more about, it may be worth consulting a health practitioner, such as a doctor or a nutritionist. There are also loads of resources online, but they vary in quality, so be aware (government guidelines are a good place to look).

On the other hand, if you are having difficult in getting to the next level (nutrition-wise or not), personal coaching can help you to build the self efficacy to make these changes in your life (and probably the tools to move past further challenges by yourself later). My aim is to get you to the point where you don’t need me any more. The first session is free just in case you are unsure. Check out more of the specifics here.

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