When people are ready to make a lifestyle change, adopting healthier eating habits usually tops their lists.
They could want to lose weight, add muscle to their build or maybe they just want to feel healthier. Regardless of the motivation, a healthy diet can look different for each person.
These days, many people are jumping into the clean eating movement that focuses on selecting whole foods and natural ingredients. Others are creating their own path, deciding to shun junk food and high-calorie snacks in favor of better choices.
Here are a variety of approaches you can take to maintain healthy eating habits. Pick the ones you like best to get you started or try them all to find the approach that works for you.
Fill up on fiber
High-fiber foods are the powerhouses of healthy eating. They keep you feeling full in between meals and come with added benefits like helping to control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol levels.
For example, start your day with a bowl of oatmeal and a side of fruit, and chances are you won’t be hungry until lunchtime rolls around.
Fiber and fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and tempeh also help feed and replenish the good bacteria that live in your gut, which helps you maintain a healthy digestive system and supports your immune system.
Try including some of these fiber-rich foods in your meals each day:
- Beans
- Quinoa
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole wheat pasta
- Avocados
- Raspberries
- Lentils
- Oatmeal
Focus on healthy foods that you like
Sometimes it can be disheartening to try to eat healthy when you’re faced with a list of “good-for-you” foods that you don’t particularly like. But eating healthy is more than just salad! The trick is to focus on the foods you like.
If raw vegetables are not your favorite, break out your favorite cooked vegetable recipes that are easy to whip together. Or focus on the fruits you like best instead. Fresh fruit makes great snacks. You can also combine fruits and vegetables together in a smoothie to ensure you’re getting the recommended daily intake.
Indulgences don’t have to be bad for you
When you’re craving a sweet treat, it doesn’t have to be empty calories. There are a lot of ways to make your indulgences healthy.
This could mean a bowl full of fresh berries with a dollop of whipped cream, apple chunks served with peanut butter or thick banana slices sautéed with a drizzle of real maple syrup. A few squares of dark chocolate will satisfy your sweet tooth and give you a little antioxidant boost, too!
Have more of a savory craving? Look to those that have nutritional value as well as the flavor you seek. Think guacamole, almonds, cashews or your favorite cheeses instead of processed salty snacks from the store.
Plan ahead before grocery shopping
Making grocery lists are the easiest way to ensure you are bringing home healthy foods. Write down exactly what you need before you head to the store.
If you plan your meals in advance, make sure you double check that you have all the ingredients you need for the week. If it’s not in your pantry, put it on the list.
Planning meals and making shopping lists cuts down on the quick trips to the store for one or two items that often result in you walking out with a bag or two of unplanned purchases. And if you go when you’re hungry, those unplanned purchases are likely not going to have the most nutritional value.
Eat what your body needs
When you’re spending a lot of time at home, it’s easy to fall into the rut of making the same meals over and over again. To avoid this, try to vary your meals as much as possible, focusing on choosing foods from all the necessary food groups.
To help ensure that you’re getting your essential nutrients, consider adding a supplement like Nutrilite™ Daily, which provides 100% or more of the daily value of 17 vitamins and minerals. Its formula includes whole-plant concentrates and is a convenient way to help fill any nutritional gaps in your diet.
Try new foods
Stay away from the food-rut burnout dilemma by being determined to try at least one new food each week. A fresh take on your meals will make things interesting as you learn the best ways to incorporate healthier foods into your diet.
Once you know what ingredients you love, search for recipes and meal-prep videos to use them in new ways. Bookmark your favorite sites online or reach out to friends and relatives and ask them to share their three favorite healthy recipes. Talking about food you love is a great way to connect with people, even if you can’t meet in person.
Pay attention to your triggers
We’ve all gone through times when we binge on junk food or take-out meals. These stretches of unhealthy eating can be caused by triggers like anxiety, lack of sleep, feelings of sadness, or a change in our social settings.
Taking notice of how you feel when you crave a big bowl of ice cream, for example, or are compelled to make a drive-thru trip for a bag of french fries, can help you better understand what causes these unhealthy eating bouts. Once you get tuned into these feelings, you can work to avoid these triggers in the future.
Learn more
Lifestyle and diet changes rarely happen overnight. Deciding to maintain healthy eating habits takes some planning and targeted grocery shopping to make sure you have a good selection of foods on hand. Once you pick the strategies that will work best for you, you’ll be on your way to a healthier life.
Looking for more tips about nutrition and a healthy lifestyle? Check out additional blogs at Amway Connections. And to learn more about Nutrilite Daily and other Nutrilite™ products, visit Amway.com or Amway.ca.
