Eating Healthy is Hard!

Maybe you’ve heard a friend lament about this, or you yourself are finding it hard to make changes to your dietary habits. It can be hard to ignore your sugary food cravings or cut down on your portions. Here are some tips and tricks to help you transition towards a healthier diet.

What Does a Healthy Diet Look Like?

A healthy diet does not comprise only of fruits and vegetables. The important thing is to eat all foods in moderation! Sure, leafy greens are good to have, but make sure to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to keep yourself feeling good. Healthy fats found in foods such as meat, fish, and eggs are good for you too. There is even room for you to have some “unhealthy” foods such as chips and chocolates, as long as all of these are taken in moderation. Of course, the ideal diet looks different for different bodies, so make sure to check in with your primary healthcare provider to ensure you are getting the best nutrition your body needs.

What are the Benefits of a Healthier Diet?

There are so many! One of the major benefits of a healthier diet is to ward off any diseases. From strengthening the immune system to reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease, eating healthy is the first step in having a healthy body, saving you some suffering and money further down the road. Besides, eating the foods your body needs will also ensure that you have the energy you need to fuel yourself throughout a busy and hectic day.

Tips for a Healthy Diet

#1 Have more water!

You might take water for granted, but your body will not. About 60% of the body is composed of water, and it plays an important role in many important bodily processes. Examples include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients and the maintenance of body temperature. Most importantly, sufficient water allows your kidneys to remove all the toxins and harmful waste material in your body efficiently. When you feel thirsty, grab a cup of water.

In case you’re wondering, bubble tea or coffee is not a good substitute for plain, old water. To keep yourself accountable, always have a cup or bottle of water on hand. Using stickers to indicate the amount of water that should have been drunk by a certain time of day can also be a good motivator for children. Infusing your water with fruits such as lemon and strawberry may also be a way to keep things interesting.

#2 Eat more protein

Protein is such an important nutrient to have in a healthy diet. It has the power to keep you satiated and regulate your hunger pangs. Most importantly, protein has the ability to help you retain and build muscle mass. This helps you to stay fit and strong and is especially important for athletes. Foods rich in protein include eggs, nuts, beans, and lean meat.

#3 Choose baked, roasted, or steamed foods, over grilled or fried varieties

The way you prepare foods is just as crucial as what foods you consume. Grilling and frying may be tasty ways to prepare your favourite meal, but these cooking methods can form harmful compounds in your food, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These compounds can be linked to several diseases, most notably cancer. Cooking methods such as baking, roasting, steaming, poaching and sous-vide are healthier since they do not form such harmful compounds. That doesn’t mean that foods need to be less tasty! Try out some of our healthy, roasted nuts here.

#4 Healthy snacks on hand only!

We know that it can be easy to give in to unhealthy food cravings, especially since that bag of chips is just lying on the counter in the kitchen. How can we keep these out of our diet? The best way to do this is to ensure that you don’t even have these unhealthy snacks in the home in the first place. Instead, only stock your home with healthy, delicious snacks that you won’t feel guilty having a handful of. Your body will thank you later!  

#5 Try out a new, healthy recipe every week

We know it can be hard to stick to a healthy diet if the food isn’t interesting. However, healthy food need not be boring and bland! Try out a new, healthy recipe every week and it to your repertoire. That way, you’ll never run out of foods that you’re excited to prepare and cook. Looking to grab a chocolate chip cookie? Try out a healthier alternative, such as pistachio and macadamia cookies. Looking for a healthier, breakfast food alternative? Try out this recipe to make cranberry pumpkin seed muffins.  

Conclusion

Eating healthy doesn’t need to be an arduous journey! There are so many little things that you can do to tweak your current diet and lifestyle to keep your body in tip-top shape. Start with these little tips and tricks today. Future you will be grateful.