April 29, 2017
Simple Substitutions To Get You Started To Healthy Eating
Let’s face it. You don’t want to do it. You don’t want to give up the comfort food. You think you’ll never enjoy a low calorie dessert. You like your Double Double every morning.
Changing years of bad habits isn’t easy. Making the transition to a healthy diet and ultimately a healthier lifestyle can be a daunting task. There is always new information, avid supporters of one theory or another and the inevitable fear of having to give up your very favorite comfort foods which you just want to spend an evening with after being so overwhelmed by all this new information in the first place.
I could throw a book at you on what to eat, (and there are hundreds of thousands out there to choose from) but I’ll let you start simple. Just a little taste of it. That’s all it took to get you hooked on a double double, that’s all it’ll take to change it.
Get Rid of Refined Sugar by choosing sweeteners that are naturally derived, minimally processed, not contaminated, and contain some nutrients and antioxidants. Easy to find, they consist of pure maple syrup, Stevia, honey, dates, coconut palm sugar to name a few. Any of these sugars should still be taken in moderation but it will allow you to put a little sweetness in your life and you will not feel deprived of some of the things you enjoy. Artificial sweeteners such as Sweet’n’Low and Nutrasweet are just that, artificial, and should be avoided.
Healthy Fats Provide energy, keep our skin soft, protect our very valuable organs and delivers fat-soluble vitamins. While it’s so easy to over eat fat, even healthy fat, you still need it. Basically, you can’t live without them. Aim for reducing foods in your diet that are high in saturated fat and trans fats. Typical culprits are processed snack foods, baked goods, margarines and fried foods. You can incorporate foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats into your diet by using olive oil, nuts and nut butters, and avocado.
Fruit Infused Water can take the place of sodas and bottled juices. And the big added benefits are endless. Such as flushing toxins from your system, improves your mood, keeps you hydrated especially during exercise, fills you up so you are not grazing at the refrigerator, aids in digestion, quenches thirst, healthy party drinks, and the best of all, make any flavor you like! Don’t forget you can also add cinnamon sticks, ginger root, mint leaves, cilantro, fennel and even jalapeno peppers to your arsenal of flavors. You are limited only by your imagination. You could literally drink this all day, and should.
Switch Out Dairy For drinks such as: Coconut, Almond, or Cashew Milk. These are particularly beneficial if you are lactose intolerant. Some people do not like the taste of these milks to drink straight up, but don’t notice it in smoothies, on cereal or in coffee or tea. Even replacing part of your milk intake with an alternative milk can save you calories and add the benefits of these healthy fats. Plain greek yogurt makes a great substitute for sour cream, and let’s just get rid of processed cheese and cheese spreads all together and just use real cheese.
