Health Fitness

Healthy eating: start smart!

Healthy eating habits are imperative to maintaining bodily function and living a disease-free life. To maintain the best lifestyle possible, it’s important to start with a healthier diet. Although starting a new healthy diet is easy, sticking to it can be difficult. The hardest part of the process can be breaking unhealthy habits.

A good way to start eating healthier is to go through your cupboards and refrigerator and toss/give away any UNhealthy foods you find. Stick with your new mindset so you won’t be tempted to snack throughout the day. When you feel hungry during the day, try a healthy snack like carrot sticks, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-grain crackers. These are not high in calories or heavy on the stomach.

When you first start your weight loss program, a big step in eating healthier is
Find out which are the healthiest foods for you and how they work in the body. Almost everyone understands that fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are the best foods for the body, but not many understand why. This is where educating yourself comes into play. When you understand how specific nutrients work in the body, you’ll be more likely to make healthy choices. Knowledge really is power!

When preparing to start any new diet or exercise regimen, you should always consult with your doctor. Also, you need to keep your schedule in mind. Plan meals ahead of time. For example, pack your lunch the night before work, top it off with a healthy wrap and some fresh vegetables instead of stopping at McDonalds. Every Sunday night, prepare a menu for the week ahead and stick to it. You’ll look and feel better before you know it.

Start your new program slowly. Take small steps. You can start by replacing a soda with a glass of water a day. Another change could be, instead of stopping for lunch at McDonalds or Burger King, to bring a salad or a tuna sandwich. Starting a healthy diet doesn’t mean you have to stop eating tasty foods. It just means you have to start eating DIFFERENT tasty foods and change your habits… a little.