First Time User? Sign Up Now
First Time User? Enroll now.
Home > Health Library > Healthy Eating: Starting a Plan for Change
If you have decided to start a healthy eating plan, congratulations! Making that decision is an important step in becoming a healthier person.
Keep these key points in mind:
It's important not to jump in too far too fast. Slow, steady steps will set you up for success. In this section you'll learn about the steps to follow in setting up a healthy eating plan:
When you are clear about your reasons for starting a healthy eating plan, it's time to set your goals.
What is your long-term goal? A long-term goal is something you want to reach in 6 to 12 months. For example, your long-term goal may be to:
What are the short-term goals that will help you get there? Short-term goals are things that you want to do tomorrow and the day after. For example, you might decide to:
Here are some quick tips about healthy eating goals:
Keeping track of your progress helps you see how far you've come. It also helps you stay with your plan.
Take the time to think about what things could get in the way of your success. We call these things barriers. And by thinking about them now, you can plan ahead for how to deal with them if they happen.
Here are some tips for dealing with barriers:
Expect to encounter some barriers. And remember: The idea is not to get rid of barriers but to identify them ahead of time and plan what you will do to deal with them.
It might help you to have a written personal action plan where you list your goals, your barriers, and your plans to get past those barriers.
The more support you have, the easier it will be to change your eating habits.
If your family members tell you that they love how you're getting healthier, you'll probably be motivated to keep up the good work.
And there's more support out there. You can even ask for encouragement. Here are a few things to look for:
Support is everywhere. You just have to look for it.
Current as of:
August 22, 2019
Author: Healthwise StaffMedical Review: Kathleen Romito MD - Family MedicineRhonda O'Brien MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator
Current as of: August 22, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Rhonda O'Brien MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
© 1995-2020 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.