Simple Tips for Eating Healthier

Eating healthy is SO important. Think of your body like a machine – you shouldn’t fill it with crap food because the machine will no longer run properly. I’m guilty of eating poorly. Fast food is just easier sometimes and, sugar…well, the stuff is addictive. But – at the start of the year, me and my dude decided it was time to truly put in an effort to eat healthier.

I had so many concerns. It’s hard to stick to it, but it truly is worth it. There is nothing better than investing in your own health. After eating healthier and mostly ‘Clean’ since January 2, 2018 –

Best Tips for Eating Healthier:

1. Be Committed. It isn’t going to be easy at first. You’re going to be annoyed by every food commercial you see. Passing by your once favorite restaurants isn’t going to be easy. Don’t go into eating healthier without a stern commitment to it. It gets easier day by day – I promise!
2. Herbs & Spices are your new best friend. For the most part, eating healthy is pretty basic and bland. Boiled or grilled chicken isn’t the same as the grease-covered amazingness you’re used to. Stock up on plenty of herbs and spices. Cilantro, parsley, chives, turmeric, rosemary and Cheyenne pepper are my favorites. (Bonus: Most herbs and spices have health benefits also – I’ll talk about those in a later post). There is also an amazing Greek Seasoning I discovered that you can basically put on anything to make it taste better.
3. MEAL PLAN! This is super important. We usually plan out what we are going to eat for the entire week on Sunday. Hit up Pinterest. Find some cool recipes to make & check back here. I’ll be adding healthy recipes as I find good ones – or improvise on ones to make them better 🙂
4. Don’t shove food down your throat like you’re starving. My guy is guilty of this. He eats too damn fast. The slower you eat, the quicker your body will let you know that you’re full. It helps stop overeating and allows the food to digest easier.
5. Have a cheat day, or cheat meal. Yes, indulge in the good stuff, your old favorites once a week. I can hear Chipotle calling my name right now…
6. Make easy swaps as you go. My first swap was cutting out all soda – even the diet stuff. It’s loaded with sugar. Drinking nothing but water can be lame though. Buy some pink-lemonade, lemonade or other mix to add to your bottled water. Go crazy when it comes to trying new things – teas, sparkling water, almond milk. I’ll post more about healthy swaps later but just remember, you don’t have to jump ALL-IN off the rip. Give yourself time to adjust. It makes it easier.
7. Find healthy snacks you actually enjoy. I’m guilty of snacking at night – big time. Many nutritionists say not to eat after 6PM. Well, it happens. It’s not that big of a deal if you don’t run straight to a bag of Dill pickle chips, (like I used to). There are healthy snack options that don’t add a ton of calories or unhealthy crap. Celery sticks with light ranch has been my go-to lately but I also enjoy some light string cheese every now and then. Again, I’ll post more about healthy snacking – especially for those who are guilty of the late-night snack.
8. The more color, the better! Think berries, greens, anything organic with bright coloring. Your plate should be colorful. Mix it up.
9. Drink a bottle/glass of water before every meal. Sometimes when we feel hungry, we are simply thirsty. Drink as much water as you can throughout the day and especially before meals. It’ll help you realize when you’re full.
10. Breakfast is a MUST. I had never been a breakfast person before so I really had to ease into this one, (still am, really). I used to be a coffee-and-go person. It probably aided in those late-night binge-eating sessions. I am still trying to have a larger breakfast but it seems that yogurt is a great pick. Oatmeal is good also.
11. Jump on the ‘Meatless Monday’ Wagon. I’m a carnivore through and through but as we’ve begun eating healthier, I don’t miss meat on Mondays anymore. There are a ton of meatless meal ideas out there. Give it a try. They are healthier and a bonus – no meat means a cheaper meal.

I’ll keep adding posts about eating healthier, healthier food swaps and healthy recipes that don’t suck. Eating healthy is a lifestyle change for many but it really is worth it.