I am always hearing discussions of ridiculous diets and ways people are losing weight to be healthier. I love food. A lot. Even when I was little my mother would offer me two cookies and I would reply sweetly with "three, please." To be honest, I didn't fully understand what the concept of healthy eating was until a few years ago.

Everyone always told you as a child to eat all of the balanced food groups and never leave the green peas or broccoli on your plate after dinner. Especially with being an athlete, it is so important to kick start and refuel your body with food that is good for you. The worst feeling for me is working out and then blowing it all on those chocolate chip cookies in the cabinet. I have learned two words through my struggle of eating healthy: mindfulness and moderation.

First, I have learned mindfulness. When I look at that bag of chips, I think to myself, "Am I even hungry?" or, "Could I have something better for me?" This is so important to remember when battling between a struggle to eat healthy and the struggle to reach for that bag of chips. Being mindful of what goes into your body is a major factor in eating better. It is taking just a second to think about what you're about to eat and whether it is a healthy option or not. If this isn't enough, keeping a food journal can work wonders, too. Keeping track of what you eat daily allows you to hold yourself accountable. You will be less likely to eat out of boredom, and you will definitely take a moment to think before eating something that may not be the best choice out there.

Another principle of healthy eating is moderation. Moderation comes down to having that coffee ice cream that I love so much, but limiting myself to just one scoop. Especially with it being the summer, there are ice cream shops all over the Cape. Instead of going out for ice cream three times a week and getting a big size, I only went out once a week and got the smallest size.

Remember, wherever you are, there is always a healthy eating option. If you are worried about not having a healthy option on the go, two words for you: meal prep. Once I started cutting up my carrots, celery, cucumbers and various fruits ahead of time I noticed that life became easier and less stressful. In addition, having everything prepped gives you no excuse not to eat it!

These two words, mindfulness and moderation, have helped me out tremendously as I strive to live a happy and healthy lifestyle!