No one said eating healthy is easy! The taste of something sweet or greasy or salty is something that we can’t seem to avoid. It can be overwhelming when it comes to eating because we crave more taste and flavor than a meal that has no salt, fat, or sugar. We try to eat healthy because we know it is good for us but at times, temptation can leads us away from our goals and can be a let down. However, everything starts with small steps; you don’t have to take a huge leap forward to be eating healthy, small steps is all you need for your stomach to feel good. Here’s five ways to start eating healthy:
1. Pick Non-Processed Snacks
If you feel hungry during the middle of the day, eat a light snack such as fruit, veggies, nuts, or dried fruits. Having a snack helps provide you energy during the day or when you’re exercising. You’ll get more nutrition snacking on these rather than processed junk snacks. Those snacks include: 100 calories snacks pack, fruit snacks, or anything that’s packaged up. These changes will help you feel full during the day and sustain your hunger until dinnertime.
2. Homemade Lunch
Whether you’re at work or school, it is best to bring homemade lunch instead of buying food. While bringing your own lunch may save you money, it’s also a better health choice than buying food from a fast food restaurant. The let down of buying lunch is not having control in how much you put in your food, such as oil, size portions, or ingredients. When you make your lunch you know exactly what you put in your food and have the piece of mind that you’re eating a well balance meal.
3. Small Plate = Full Stomach
Eating healthy is more than just the portions on your plate; it’s the size of your plate that controls the amount of food that you eat. The advantage of using a small plate is that it will leave you stratified and full while a large plate makes you think you’re eating small, but it will make you crave more. Using a small plate allows you to trick your brain that you are eating a full meal and you wouldn’t need to worry about whether you’re eating too much.
4. Swap Ingredients
Instead of using same old ingredients, like mayo for your sandwich or syrup for your pancakes, swap typical ingredients for something healthy. When making a sandwich instead of using mayo, use avocado in your sandwich to give it a more savory taste. These ingredients swaps help you eliminate the ingredients that aren’t good for you and be satisfied with a healthier taste. Click here for ideas to swap ingredients in your favorite dish.
5. Have a Buddy
Eating healthy can be challenging because at any moment we can fall back to our old eating habits. But you don’t have to do this alone! While everything is about motivation to eat healthy, having someone with you like a friend, family member, or anyone close to you, helps you stay on track with your eating goals. Plus, it’s fun to have someone with you to start a healthy goal. You’ll give each other motivation and support in resisting the temptations of unhealthy eating.