My Healthy Eating Pledge

I have commitment issues. No, not with people. Not with responsibilities. But with something that has far bigger consequences. Healthy eating. *collective groan is heard throughout the campus* I think the longest I've been able to keep up with a strict healthy eating plan is about 2 weeks. At which point it gets too complicated and I resolve to consume as many lattes, donuts and/or sweet chili heat Doritos as necessary to keep me alive(ish).

Now don't get me wrong, I love finding tasty and creative ways to make healthy food. I mean I’ve actually made and enjoyed kale smoothies before. KALE. SMOOTHIES. But, unfortunately, sometimes those 4 midterms and 3 papers due tomorrow will get the best of you.

In light of this, I have decided to renew my pledge to healthy eating. I, Api, pledge:

• Not to skip meals.
• To incorporate healthier snacks such as fruits, veggies, nuts, whole grain crackers etc. into my everyday diet, regardless of whether my meals are home-cooked or store bought.
• To largely cut down on the amount of processed/fast food I consume.
• To choose healthier options for days when I can’t avoid buying out - A subway sandwich is probably better than Chinese takeout. A carrot muffin is better than red velvet one.

Disclaimer:

• Coffee is unfortunately my life force, and is therefore not included in this plan.

Does it seem too simple? That’s the point. Realistically, my long days on campus combined with late nights studying don’t allow for all my meals to be home-cooked, all-natural, organic, fat-free, low sodium, gluten free, vegan etc. The reason I could only last for 2 weeks was because I was too strict with myself. So, for a little while last year I tried a pledge similar to this to slowly build some healthier habits, and guess how long I lasted? Three months. Granted, I eventually fell out of the pattern, but that’s why I’m taking baby steps to get back into the game! Since the laws of the Internet now morally bind me to stay with this plan, I’ll hopefully be a brand new, slightly healthier Api! If you have any tips or tricks to build healthier habits, let me know down in the comments or on Twitter at @Api_UofT!