While you might feel ready to go gangbusters on improving your eating habits, take a moment to
set your expectations before bulk ordering kale. Realistic changes you can stick to over time are
better than a month of perfect eating followed by a week of excess. So no matter which eating
goal you’re working toward, go about it the right way.

Don’t try to change your life overnight.
The biggest mistake people make when trying to eat more nutritiously is trying to do everything
at once, like jumping on the latest diet trend because they want fast results. It’s been proven to
fail over and over again. Becoming a healthier human doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey of
small choices and getting stronger with each step. Expecting otherwise is unrealistic.

Just because you ate pizza with friends this weekend, doesn’t mean you have to give up. A
healthier lifestyle happens one day at a time, and you can take small steps right now, belly full
of pizza and all. Think about one thing you want to improve at your next meal — it might be
drinking water instead of soda, adjusting the portion size, or adding one vegetable. Continue
this habit, simply having one small goal for each meal.

Don’t punish yourself for imperfection.
There’s no rule that says you have to eat a perfect plate 100% of the time — quite the opposite.
Eating healthy is a lifelong journey that requires a flexible, open mind. That’s why we believe in
an 80/20 approach. Try to eat balanced, nutrient-dense meals 80% of the time. The other 20%
of the time, live a little.

Don’t think of that 20% as a reward for the 80% but rather as a part of being human and
indulging in life. When you can view food as fuel for your body instead of something positive or
negative, you start to remove guilt from the equation. Liberate yourself from the idea that eating
should result in punishment or reward. It’s all about balance.