In practice, from friends, family members...this is something I get a lot.
Interestingly, when I go on to ask how they're "eating well" I'll often get a different answer.
One might say "I'm only eating wholegrain carbs, low fat, and loads of veggies"
Another might say "I'm eating no carbs, loads of healthy fat, protein, and veggies"
And another might say "I"m only eating stuff I make from scratch and fruit"
So can you see how "eating well" can mean different things to all of us?
And it's often why we get so frustrated and (quite often) take it out on someone else (a loved one).
We want to improve our confidence and impress our friends and family with all of our efforts.
But we're still having to wear baggy clothes, run our day on coffee, and jump on the latest fad diet a few weeks before a holiday...
So here's some simple, yet effective advice for you.
At least in the short term (maybe over the next week) keep a food diary.
Why?
Because you'll discover these pretty fascinating things that can really tell you whether you're "eating well":
1) How you feel after eating certain foods / meals - are they making you tired, bloated, and sending you straight to the loo?
2) How much you actually eat - Mindlessly eating (picking at cheese when making cauliflower cheese) often goes under the radar. When tracking, this isn't the case and it's a great way for you to see where you may be going wrong...
3) Whether you're the first to finish your meal - I often get clients to write down whether they finish their meal before anyone else. Slow down, drink some water, and give your body time to tell you that you're full.
4) How often you're eating when you're NOT actually hungry - You might just start to become more in tune with your body again, helping you to control your cravings.
5) Just how much you eat when eating out - I always finish my wifes meal when eating out. If I wasn't tracking, the extra 1/2 a steak I eat wouldn't even cross my mind...making me think that I was doing "everything right"...
6) Whether you actually eat "loads of veggies" - They bulk out your plate, keep you full, and are great for your immune system. "Loads" can mean a bit of lettuce and a tomato for one (often found in a Big Mac) and courgettes, onions, garlic, peppers, spinach, swede, and carrots to another...
I see the same with water intake!
And it's exactly why getting the basics right and building a diet from the bottom up can help you get a flat stomach without giving up the wine and rubbing aloe vera gel onto our bingo wings (I'll tell you about this one soon).
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Matt
PS. No breakfast for me today. I'm off to visit my grandad for lunch and want to enjoy myself, which is exactly what a flexible nutrition strategy is all about!