4 Ways to Help Yourself Eat Healthy

It isn't easy to eat healthy, even when you love fruits and vegetables. Sometimes, you don't have the time nor the energy to prepare clean, healthy food. Sometimes, temptations are too strong, especially when you're tired and stressed.

Help yourself choose healthy. Below are four things you can do.

1. Keep the junk out.

If you're serious about eating healthy food, don't buy junk food in the first place. You're only making it harder to resist them when you bring them home.

But you don't have to be too strict about it too. You can choose to buy a few canned goods and chocolates, say, every month, instead of buying them every time you go to the grocery. Still limits your intake.

2. Have healthy alternatives.

Instead of having unhealthy chips for a mid-afternoon snack, choose nuts and dried fruits. Or banana chips.

Instead of having chocolates after dinner every evening, choose mangoes or melon or dragonfruit. They're sweet and refreshing, perfect for when you've had seafood or red meat for dinner.

My husband and I love fruits, so they're our go-to dessert.

3. Prepare for busy days.

You will have busy days and if you're not prepared, you'll likely order fast food. To avoid that, always have ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare food in the fridge or in the pantry.

I like cooking meals on Sundays, store them in the fridge or the freezer, ready for reheating throughout the week.

4. Remove friction.

Make it easy for yourself to choose healthy.

We love fruits at home, but some of them have to be prepared in advance or they'll be ignored. Watermelon, melon, pomelo, papaya, dragonfruit—they have to be peeled, sliced, and stored in the fridge (we like them cold). After meals, it's easy to get them out, go back to the table, and eat.

I like having smoothies in the morning, so I make sure that I have fruits and veggies ready. I have ginger and carrots peeled, cucumber and bell peppers washed, and fruits sliced in advance. I also have the blender within easy reach. It removes so much friction, perfect for when I have no energy and willpower (yet) so early in the morning.