When it comes to your health, the little things can really add up make a big difference. If you think about a healthy diet, you might assume that you need to overhaul your whole diet and give yourself strict restrictions. In reality, you’re better off making small changes that you can maintain, rather than a drastic overhaul like going vegan if you don’t think you’re ready.
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Keep the changes practical and sustainable so you can make them part of your everyday life.
Eat Breakfast Every Day
It’s easier to maintain your energy throughout the day if you eat breakfast. If you don’t currently eat breakfast, start. A good, healthy breakfast could be something like a whole-wheat English muffin with peanut butter and sliced banana. This gives plenty of filling fiber and protein. It’s also easy to eat on the go and takes less than five minutes to prepare, so there’s no excuse if you’re pushed for time. Yogurt with fruit and granola, oatmeal, and eggs on whole-grain bread are all good picks too.
Put Out A Fruit Bowl
Try to eat more fruits, vegetables, and healthy salads. Produce delivers a lot of nutrients, but not many calories. It’s also packed with fiber, which helps to fill you up. Don’t buy fruit, and shove it to the back of your vegetable drawer where you’ll forget about it.
Instead, put your fruit and vegetables front and center in the fridge and out in your kitchen. Keep fruit that doesn’t need refrigerating on the counter in a fruit bowl, where you can always see them. You’ll be more likely to reach for them when you fancy a snack if they’re easy to grab. Wash and slice veggies like celery and peppers, and pack them into individual baggies, so they’re easy to grab from the fridge, for a quick, healthy treat.
Don’t Eliminate Treats
Cutting out all your favorite treat foods can lead you to fail at your healthy-eating goals. A diet that has been drastically limited is not sustainable and can lead you to feel deprived, causing you to throw all your healthy-eating goals away. A small treat won’t ruin all your progress. Keep the treats small. Aim for about 150 calories or less, such as a couple of squares of dark chocolate, a half cup of ice cream, or a small glass of wine, and really savor it. This habit is easy for most of us to stick to.
Use Smaller Plates
If you’re worried about your portion sizes, try using a smaller plate. Most of us will eat less if we use smaller dinnerware. The theory behind this is that the eye is tricked into thinking that we are eating more because our plate is full, making the food portion look larger. The result of this is that you feel more satisfied with less food. Try serving your meals on a salad plate instead of a large dinner plate, and see if you feel full with a smaller portion.
Thank you for reading!
