Ten Tips To Help Forge The “Eating Healthier” Lifestyle

In our society, we think of a diet and do two things—cringe and say we have to do it or start and then quickly turn back to foods or habits that brought us here to begin with. Neither one is a healthy concept nor are our feelings towards it. The idea of a “diet,” needs to change. We are real people that are not perfect. Plus, there is way too much food out there that should not be enjoyed.

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The real scoop is that the word diet has become the debauched term that when uttered brings an ill connotation or the hope that ends with a crash. The word diet should not and does not mean starving yourself. The word diet always meant your nutritional lifestyle and just your regular eating habits. It has been coined (enhanced by the '80s) to mean time to throw out everything you love to eat and change your own individual needs.

We got news for you; it’s just not the case. If healthy weight loss, balance, consistency and a healthy lifestyle is what you crave, we have the tips for you.

Don't diet and open your palate

If dieting to you means doing something drastic for 3-4 weeks and then just going back to how you use to eat - you need a shift in your mindset first. True health benefits and a long-time health has to be maintained through a healthy lifestyle transformation. Try to look at eating healthier as something positive you're doing for yourself - not what you're depriving yourself of. It will change how you make your choices and how you choose to live your life.

Cut out the "White Stuff"

This is a biggie! If all you decided to do was cut out all the "white stuff" in your diet (except cauliflower) you would be WAY ahead of the game. Nix the white sugar and white bread and opt for healthier versions. See what it does for you, you will see a huge difference. You don’t have to eliminate it completely, but we guarantee you will see the change happen when the “white stuff” is cut out. Fewer headaches, obesity, and diabetes will take a turnaround.

Take it easy on dairy

If you find that dairy is causing a lot of mucus after your drink it or if you have allergies from it; it may be time to give dairy a rest. Either way, it's best to choose more natural forms such as oat milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a high quality & less pasteurized whey protein.

Try going gluten free

It is possible that you or someone you know has a low-level gluten (gliadin) allergy that they don't even know about. When they cut out gluten-based foods they end up feeling so much better. They are more clear-headed, energetic, less bloated, and healthy. You can give it a shot by substituting gluten foods with quinoa, millet, or amaranth for your healthy non-gluten carb cravings.

Get into the smaller meals concept

Eating smaller meals helps you to feel lighter and helps you lose weight or rather balance out weight, naturally. Since you'll be eating every 3 hours there should never be a feeling of starving. You can try the idea of one cupped hand (one big spoonful) for your snack sizes and two cupped hands (two big spoonfuls) for your meals.

Eat breakfast

I know many people don't "feel" like eating in the morning, but studies suggest it is highly recommended for boosting your metabolism and adding some fuel to your body for the day. It's been shown that people are more successful at being healthy and losing weight when they have a healthy breakfast. It helps prevent you from overeating later in the day when your blood sugar drops. We know not everyone has time to make breakfast and the best way to add the nutrients into your body is by juicing or grabbing organic baby fruit and vegetable packs. Check out this recipe for juicing that will start your breakfast journey right on track.

How much meat do you even need?

Eating meat a few times per week can give you more energy and keeps the body strong. However, try decreasing your meat consumption and try wild-caught fish or high protein based foods. Chowing down on 8oz or more of meat (especially red meat) can be very hard to digest and it is more toxic than beneficial. Stick with lean meats and opt for 3-6oz per meal. Don’t deny yourself of that fabulous filet mignon with the red wine reduction sauce! Enjoy it and then have fish or veggies the next day.

Fruit is good for you…sometimes

Yes, eating fruit has many benefits, but it also contains sugar. This means unless you want to spike your insulin levels it's best to eat your fruit directly after physical exercise, and for some, eating it for breakfast can work best.

Raw can be better

As people age, it becomes more difficult to digest food and extract the proper nutrients needed for proper energy, health, and longevity. The good news is that the closer your food is to its original form (in most cases) the easier it is to digest since cooking tends to destroy many natural enzymes contained within the food. If raw doesn’t do it for you, and we understand, then try and opt for food NOT overcooked. This way they don’t lose all of their nutrients. For example, not cooking the broccoli all the way so it’s like eating mush. Instead, keep it slightly raw, where it gets that beautiful green color!

It's NOT about counting calories or points

Don’t drive yourself crazy with this. It's about balancing insulin levels and eating high-quality food, which is nutrient-dense in nature. Do you really believe that someone who drank 2,000 calories of Coca-Cola per day would look like another person who consumed 2,000 calories of fresh vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, and low-glycemic carbs? Really think about that.

Written by our Founder Lori C. Brown, a Certified Health Coach from the Institute For Integrative Nutrition and Psychology/PreMed Graduate from Albertus Magnus College who is heading to her Doctoral Program for Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy. If you have any questions, thoughts or some more info please share in the comments below or contact us. We’d love to hear from you!