It's Time to Eat Healthier!
By Sara Butler
People tend to fall into habits. You go to the grocery store the same day each week where you buy a lot of the same stuff. Taco Tuesday may be a ritual in your home -- and even if you’re sick of tacos, it’s still a comfort to know what to expect. It’s this comfort that can make eating healthy a challenge -- even scary -- for some people. You may be so used to eating the same things that you aren’t thinking about what is on your plate. To eat healthier means that you need to start paying attention! Here are some tips to help you ease into healthier eating.
Baby Steps
Don’t assume you have to dive in and drastically change your diet in order to be healthy. It’s actually better for you if you make small, gradual changes to your diet over time rather than just a big change. If you expect too much from yourself too soon, you may be setting yourself up for failure.
Before you start to make significant changes, you should take a couple of weeks to look at your current eating habits. Write down and track everything you eat so you can identify small changes you can make that can help guide you toward a healthier you.
Be Realistic
If the thought of eating cauliflower makes you want to barf, then vowing to eat it each day as part of a new, improved you isn’t a realistic way to get healthier. But you can increase how many fresh fruits and vegetables you eat each day and work to add more variety to your diet.
As you begin to add more fresh produce to your day, you’ll probably start to notice that you naturally cut out high-fat, sugar-laden goodies and that your cravings change.
A Few Easy Swaps
You can make the transition to eating healthy easier by seeking out substitutions for things that are currently a part of your diet. You swap out:
- Mustard instead of mayonnaise
- Whole wheat bread instead of white
- White meats such as chicken and fish for red meat
- Drinking water or black coffee and tea instead of soda or juice
- Bake or grill instead of frying
- Skim milk instead of full-fat milk
Making health a habit doesn't have to be difficult. These easy steps can help you work toward a healthier you!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Albuquerque, N.M.
