12 easy ways to eat healthier
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12 easy ways to eat healthier

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12 easy ways to eat healthier
Healthydietadvisor

Let's be honest, eating better and working out are always on our to-do list and goal sheets. But our wallets and schedules don't always allow us to achieve this. However, there are some simple steps that you can do to improve your eating habits that won't break the bank or take up too much of your time.

1. Reduce (or eliminate) red meat.

Instead try chicken and turkey substitutes, or if you're dating try fish. They make ground chicken and ground turkey, turkey burgers, turkey bacon, etc. and these are a lot more healthier for you than red meats or pork. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy an occasional burger, because as good as turkey burgers are they're just not the same. But basing your diet around consuming red meats is not good for you. I've been substituting ground turkey for ground beef for years and can still enjoy all my favorite recipes.

2. Eggs are good for you!

I know there's that myth that egg yolks are bad for your cholesterol but actually eggs provide good cholesterol for your body. Only a small percentage of the populations digestive system does not turn egg yolks into good cholesterol. Plus eggs are also a great source of protein, which makes them a great thing to eat for breakfast.

3. Reduce your dairy intake.

Dairy is flat out just not good for you, of your arteries. Around two-thirds of the population end up becoming lactose intolerant in their lifetime. But I get it, as studies have shown cheese is addictive. If you can't eliminate it from your diet completely try healthier types, like feta cheese, or frozen yogurt, or even Greek yogurt. Or try substitutes. I personally love to use Earth Balance as a substitute for butter and I swear it tastes the same! Or you can also try coconut butter. And I've been using almond milk as a substitute for milk for all of my baking and cooking needs for over a year now with so much success, and I swear you can't tell the difference. Because despite those "got milk" ads, milk isn't actually good for you unless you're a toddler. And almond milk doesn't expire for months! Although I'll admit it doesn't taste good if you're drinking it straight out of a glass, unless you're adding strawberry or chocolate flavoring - but then that's making it less healthy.

4. Protein shakes are your friend!

I won't lie, I know protein powder can be pretty pricey and I get that not everyone can afford that. So if you want to opt out of that, that's totally understandable. But you can still make a protein shake, and they're a way to sneak in those awful vegetables you can't seem to get down, like kale. All you have to do is throw in some different types of greens (like kale or spinach) and protein like nuts or chia seeds and some frozen fruit and almond milk, and voila lots of protein and vitamins that's manageable to swallow.

5. Have vegetables and protein at every meal!

Yes, I mean every meal, and if you can have them at snack time too that's even better. Try being creative like cooking vegetables with your eggs or drinking a protein shake for breakfast. I love making stews or stir-fry for lunch or dinner to load up on protein and vegetables. And of course there's the obvious choice of having chicken salads or tuna salads, or something of the like.

6. Be mindful of your carbs.

I'm not going to tell you carbs are bad, because carbs are good for you, within reason. It's always better to eat carbs in the beginning of your day versus at the end so try to eat your carbs for breakfast and lunch. Like have a banana every morning with your coffee, or some wheat English muffins. Try to always choose whole wheat or wheat options when you can, or even be daring and try gluten free options. Also, white potatoes are not your friend, unless you count the fat hanging around your body. They don't have much vitamins or protein in them, it's like eating empty calories and carbs. Try choosing healthier options like sweet potatoes or red or purple potatoes.

7. Choose healthier snacks!

I'm not going to tell you to stop snacking because that's a lot to ask of someone, and let's be honest, not very realistic. But try to choose healthier snacks like applesauce, or fruit/fruit cups, wheat pretzels, or granola bars, or my personal favorite is trail mixes because you get protein, fruit, and something a little sweet to fix the sugar craving. If you're the type of person that can't just sit there and munch on apples and carrots try to pair it with something healthy like peanut butter or honey to give it more flavor.

8. Make your own sauces or salad dressing.

Most of the stuff you buy at stores is filled with unnecessary sugars and salt and calories. Things like ketchup and relish aren't good for you, but if you need a condiment to try dijon mustard. Stop using vegetable and canola oil, and instead use olive oil or coconut oil! You can do something simple as pouring balsamic vinegar on your salad. Or for those that aren't into that, you can try one of my favorites: mix honey, lemon juice, olive oil, and dijon mustard and it's like a healthy honey mustard sauce. You can pour it over salads or marinate meat with it. Or just forgo sauces and dressing all together and just use olive oil.

9. NO PROCESSED FOODS!

I feel like this should just be obvious at this point but I'm serious! No frozen food or prepackaged spice packets. Most of the time they come with so much unnecessary salt and sugar, that its so much better (and sometimes cheaper) if you make it yourself. I won't even bother going on about how frozen food is bad for you because at this point in life, that ones pretty obvious. Spices and herbs are so so good for you, but most of the time the prepackaged spice packets are not. Buy the bottle of pure spices and herbs and and get creative start mixing different spices together when you're cooking. If you don't want to spend $4 on a small tub of basil I don't blame you, but you can find most spices at a discounted store, like dollar tree, and they're still just as good! Also, try using sea salt instead of salt to limit your salt intake.

10. Limit how much you eat out.

If you can't afford to be eating healthy, than you shouldn't be able to afford eating out all the time either. Plus it's so hard to find healthy options on the menu, and when you do they're usually pretty pricey which makes you choose the unhealthy option anyway. You have food at home, cheaper healthier better-for-your-organs food.

11. Meal prep is not overrated.

I know the hardcore gym rats are always talking about meal prepping, and you probably roll your eyes. But meal prepping is such a good tool to make sure you eat healthy. I'm not telling you to plan out all your meals for the whole week (unless you want to), but you should plan your meals the day before and if your day is going to be super busy try to even cook and prep your meals for the next day. That way you have no excuses and you force yourself to stay on track and eat healthier.

12. Always leave your self a cheat day.

...because no one can stay sane and diet 24/7. Besides everything is good in moderation - with that said having junk food every night because you ate healthy all day does not count as moderation.

I hope you found some of these tips useful, and easy to implement in your daily routine. I'm not saying you need to do everything on this list but even doing a few of these will really improve your health and maybe even help you feel healthier, both physically and mentally. But don't be too hard on yourself if you can't follow all of these right away, or give up some of your favorite foods. I have found that the beginning is always the hardest and when the cravings are the strongest, but after awhile your body will prefer eating the healthier options, and will find junk food way less appealing and tasty (it does happen I swear). So just hang in there and let the process slowly happen, because change is always slow. And just appreciate the fact that you're trying, and taking the steps toward eating healthier.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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