Many people see making changes to their diet as a dramatic, intimidating endeavor. While these drastic changes can be of great benefit for overall energy and fitness, the risk of not seeing it through is very real since unhealthy eating habits can be difficult to break. That being said, the process of changing up your diet can be made less daunting when broken down into small steps. Here are six small changes to get you started.
Make the switch to organic food:
While this may not entirely seem like a “small” change, it’s actually a lot more simple than you’d think. You can still find all of the ingredients to make your favorite meals by shopping in the organic section. The big difference comes from the lack of chemical pesticides, artificial preservatives, and processed ingredients. In addition, organic meats produce far more omega 3 fats compared to non-organic meats, allowing your body naturally burn more excess fat throughout your day. And if you’re worried about the typical increased price tag for organic foods, consider the fact that organic foods allow you to extract more nutrients from your meals. This means you can often get by with buying less food overall than before.
Healthy alternatives to potato chips:
Snacking in between meals is often where unhealthy eating habits flourish. It can be easy to blow through a bag of potato chips or cheetos without flinching. If you want to satisfy your craving for a no-prep salty snack, buy a can of mixed nuts or almonds instead of those doritos next time you hit the grocery store. These healthy snacks will fill you up far quicker than chips will, and will leave you with far more energy as well.
Cut out sugar in your coffee or tea:
Yes, our bodies do need sugar. However, the typical American diet relies on sugar overload, resulting in growing waistlines and wrecked energy levels. This simple step makes cutting off excess sugar altogether a lot easier. While this may take some getting used to at first, it won’t be long before you notice your craving for sugar decreasing significantly. This makes switching to foods with no added sugar less of a chore as well. You will surprised at how delicious foods such as dark chocolate, all natural peanut butter, and ketchup with no added sugar suddenly taste.
Eat meals when they are hot and fresh:
This change is probably the easiest to achieve on this list. Food that is hot has more aroma to it than cold food. The strong aroma signals the part of the brain that registers when we are full, making over-eating less likely to occur. Warmer food also results in slower eating, also giving more time for your stomach to feel satisfied before you’ve overindulged. It’s a simple brain hack but it works.
Drink a full glass of water with your meal:
You may be excellent at drinking enough water throughout the day, but the timing of water consumption can make a big difference. By drinking water with your meal, you are helping soften the food in your stomach, making it easier for your body to digest and extract an optimal amount of nutrients. Drinking water also helps add to the feeling of being full quicker as well, resulting in less over-eating.
Replace a meal with a meal replacement shake:
Using a shake to replace a meal is an excellent way to efficiently pack in nutrients you need in quick, easy fashion. If you mix your ingredients right, a meal replacement shake can help you achieve the nutrients you need in a way that’s easy on your stomach, and saves you from excess calories. It’s important to note that it’s not recommended to do more than once a day. This is also a perfect solution to moments when you are in a rush and are tempted to cave in to the convenience of a drive-thru. Instead, just add a hearty mix of protein, amino acids and fiber supplements to your Helimix shaker cup and within a couple minutes, you have a meal replacement that’s both saved you time, and an unhealthy decision.
