Why Is Eating Healthy So Hard To Do? (3 reasons)

By Kevin DiDonato MS, CES

Everywhere you go, you hear people telling you what you need to do to get back in shape. 

Gyms, studios, even personal trainers will tell their clients that you just need to eat healthy and the rest will take care

Yes, losing weight and changing your body relies on two simple factors:

Eating right and exercising!  Remember, ABS are made in the kitchen!

In a perfect world, everyone would be able to both exercise and find the time to create healthy meals in seconds.

But, as you all know, you don’t live in a perfect world.  And for many people, eating right and exercising everyday are more of a luxury that they are a habit.

Some of you may have it good…

You may have a job that is very flexible with your time and allows you to work out on your lunch break or may even allow you the time to pick up something healthy.

BUT:

Most of the people you probably know simply don’t have that kind of time or that relaxed of a job.

And this makes eating healthy hard!  It’s easy to say I am going to eat right…

…but the reality is: It’s hard to eat right ALL THE TIME!  So why is it so hard?

Well, here are three good reasons why it’s hard to eat right:

1. Time

Many people work long days, ranging anywhere between 8 to 10 hours each day.  After they finish their day, they tend to rush home, tend to the kids and do whatever household chores are left to be done.

Or maybe, just maybe, they decide to hit the gym before they go home, foregoing their lunch in the process.

Whatever the reasons, the important point is: You make sacrifices, usually for the better of your family, but ultimately, these may actual ruin your health.

Researchers have coined a term “TIME POVERTY”, which is when you don’t have the time to do the important things in your life.

And in most cases, that means sacrificing hitting the gym or sitting down for a healthy, home-cooked meal.

2. Affordable Shopping Places

This may be one of the BIGGEST barriers when it comes to eating healthy.  The cost of eating healthy is way more expensive than buying some frozen pizza or that blue box of mac and cheese.

It always surprises me when I put down 20 items at the register and it comes out to 200 bucks only to see a person with a cart overflowing with processed food that rings up to 150.

This is a serious barrier for those looking to eat healthy on a budget. 

What you need is more access to fresh fruits and vegetables, organic foods, hormone and antibiotic free meat and dairy, and other healthy options—at a decent, if not, much lower price.

It seems that things backwards when it comes to access to healthy foods.   And if there is one thing you need to know: The obesity epidemic that our nation is facing today, won’t get any better until affordable marketplaces are established for anyone—low income people especially—can have access to fresh fruits and veggies.

3. ZERO Time To Cook

Maybe you actually took the time and have gotten some healthy foods to eat.  Now what are you going to do?

One of the biggest concerns of people is not having enough time.  No enough time to see your kids.  Not enough time to relax.  Not enough time to put your health first.

And what means there may not be enough time to prepare a healthy meal with the fresh veggies that you just picked up.

I mean face it…

When you get home, the last thing on your mind is probably cooking a healthy meal that may take 30 to 45 (or longer) minutes to prepare.

You’re tired…and just want to eat something and relax.    And that makes time one of the biggest contributors to why you don’t like to eat healthy.

Take Home Message

These are just three factors (out of many) that could be limiting your ability to want to prepare and eat healthy meals.

It’s a fact that time and other commitments always come first in your life, which could easily derail your healthy habits. 

But if you’re able to manage these three key areas—prepare the meals ahead of time and freeze them, put your health (you and your family) first, and find ways to save on healthier food option, than you may find that it may be easier to eat healthy.

And this could be great for your metabolism, your health, and your overall fat loss!