Eating healthier is not always about making massive lifestyle changes. Sometimes, it’s about making small changes, one at a time. Those who think about changing their diet often worry about how unhappy they may become if they’re unable to eat their favorite foods. However, eating healthier doesn’t require agonizing over what we can and cannot eat. As Healthline explains, it just means adding healthier ingredients to our meals and making small changes to the way we eat. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Health
Physical health is a combination of what you eat and drink, how often you exercise, genetics, and many environmental factors. Taking care of your physical health is important! Not only does it affect your longevity but it also affects your mental health. Healthy eating leads to mental clarity, better moods, and a lower risk of depression. When you eat poorly, you feel sluggish in the brain and body. Eating healthy is really about feeding your body fresh and whole foods. Vegetables are some of the best things to eat, and fruit is also great in moderation.
Where to Start
Understanding which fruits and vegetables are seasonal means you can plan your healthy eating around affordable grocery hauls. If you want to plan your recipes ahead of time before you hit the store, you should find out which fruits and vegetables are in season.
Of course, if you really want to eat your favorite fresh fruits or vegetables out of season, there’s always the frozen aisle. Yes, fresh produce is always better than frozen. However, frozen produce is better than canned produce because it doesn’t contain preservatives. You can also freeze your own vegetables to be eaten off-season by blanching them for a few minutes and storing them in freezer-safe containers. Not only does this ensure that you have delicious veggies at all times of the year, but it can also prevent food waste.
Optimizing Your Home for Wellness
Healthy eating starts in the kitchen, but that’s just the beginning. As Harvard Medical School points out, unhealthy foods are often consumed as a response to stress. Therefore, it stands to reason that you’ll have an easier time eating healthily if you are able to better manage (if not reduce) the stress in your life. There are a number of ways to do that.
First, try to cleanse your home of negativity and stress by incorporating more exercise — in addition to that healthier diet you’re working on. Don’t become intimidated! It’s more than okay to start small. You don’t have to change everything in a day!
Next, practice not only trying to manage your stress levels but viewing them in a positive light. For instance, a small amount of stress can motivate you to start (and finish) a project. Remain mindful and don’t allow it to get out of hand! If you find yourself beginning to stress out, take a step back for a moment. Take a walk, do a bit of exercise, have a shower to “reset” and then get back to it.
When You’re Away From Home
Eating healthy when you’re not at home can be challenging, but it’s definitely doable. Try whipping up a healthy take on enchiladas, a fresh veggie salad, or a fruity dessert. When you show up with the healthy side dishes, you can ensure that there will be more to snack on than chips and dip.
Try an apple or some nuts, for instance. You can search for recipes by season or simply search for recipes involving a particular ingredient. When it comes to eating in restaurants, opt for fresh salads, anything made with whole foods, and choose unsweetened tea or water over soda.
Vacation
Vacations tend to mark the cessation of healthy eating habits. To offset that, pack some fruit and carrots for the road to avoid snacking on treats. Occasional “YOLO” meals are fine. After all, it is vacation! A week straight of heavy restaurant food, on the other hand, won’t be good for your waistline. Or, your wallet and the good habits that you have worked so hard to build.
Healthy eating isn’t always easy. With a little bit of planning and creativity, you can help everyone get on board. And it’s not just about feeling good right now. Think of healthy eating as a gift you give your future self to make sure your loved ones get to have you around for a good, long time.
Post contributed to At Home with Joanna by E. Benoit.
Here’s a bit more information about the writer:
About 6 years ago, I left my job as an office manager to pursue being a life, career, and overall wellness coach. Since then, I specialize in helping professionals with stress and anxiety but welcome working with people from all walks of life. I work with my clients to discover and explore avenues that will bring them balance, peace, and improved overall well-being that can last a lifetime. I am the author of the upcoming book, The 30-Day Plan for Ending Bad Habits and Improving Overall Health.
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