It seems that everyone these days wants to begin a healthy lifestyle. Of course, a chunk of that translates to having a healthy diet.
Maybe you want to lose weight. Or you want a holistic way to heal a health condition such as high blood pressure, or maybe you just want to look and feel great about yourself.
Whatever the reason, we salute you for wanting to make the change. With these simple tips, you can improve the way you eat and have a healthy diet that you have always wanted.
Purge.
In order to successfully start a good diet, you need to get rid of the bad stuff first. Start with a clean slate.
Get rid of sodas, chips, chocolate bars, and cookies. Also, stop buying them. At the beginning of the diet, it is important to avoid all sources of temptation.
Besides, the less you see these items, the less you’ll want to eat them.
Bring in the good stuff.
Before you even embark on a diet, you have to know first which food are generally healthy and those that are not.
Lean meats, fresh produce, whole grains, beans, green tea, salmon, olive oil, and avocados are considered to be good for the body so start incorporating them into your diet at least one at a time if you are not used to eating them.
Reduce the times you eat out.
Make your own meals. Start with simple recipes. Nowadays, no recipe is a secret anymore.
Begin making your own food. You don’t necessarily have to cook. You can make sandwiches from leftover meat and veggies, whip up your own smoothie, and even blend a decent bulletproof coffee.
Even if you are an amateur, with some effort and dedication, you can create something healthy. You can still eat out or have pizza every once in awhile. Just don’t do it every day.
Use frozen bananas like a pro.
Frozen bananas are a must have for any healthy eater. You can chop it and blend it to make a guilt-free cold treat.
Frozen bananas also make a great base for smoothies and protein shakes.
Add frozen bananas to chocolate flavored whey protein and chia seeds for a quick and filling post workout drink.
Try not to drink your calories.
When you are on a healthy diet, it is recommended that you get your calories from food.
Try to drink beverages that have very little to no calories. Drink your tea plain, have black coffee, and drink lots of water.
Boost your energy.
Lots of sweets and dense meats can cause your energy to dip. Choose foods and drinks that are energy boosting such as bananas, coconut water, green tea, bulletproof coffee, and green smoothies.
Don’t be fooled by zero calorie sweeteners.
Yes, it is a good idea to ditch the refined sugar. However, don’t make artificial sweeteners a staple in your diet.
Because they are a lot sweeter than natural sugar, they mess up your taste buds, making you use more sugar and crave sweeter foods.
They also make you hungry a lot faster since the brain senses the sweetness but gets no calories. Use a packet sometimes if you really, really need to. Just don’t become too attached.
Go easy on deli meats.
While thin slices of lean deli meats have low calories, they are high in sodium that can make you bloat. Consider deli meats as a special treat. Meaning do not eat them every day.
Drink something hot after a meal.
A cup of hot water or tea after a meal is better than a glass of soda or ice cold water.
A hot beverage makes you feel full even with just a light meal. It can also aid in digestion.
Don’t eat a lot of fruits.
Yes, fruits are good for you but you should not be eating crates and baskets of them.
Know the right serving portion of fruits and stick to them. Fruits are high in sugar and can trigger hunger hormones quickly.
Just have a small apple, half a cup of strawberries, or about 10 grapes per meal.
Be wise about snacks
Ideally, you shouldn’t snack anymore if you are eating nutritious meals. However, sometimes we get that urge to have something.
If there’s a desire to snack, have a cup of tea first or a glass of water. If the urge doesn’t go away, have some nuts or a small chunk of dark chocolate or an apple.
Don’t skip a meal.
A healthy lifestyle does not mean not eating or going on a hunger strike. Eat during meal times and never skip a meal even if you are trying to lose weight.
