Eating a healthier diet often makes people cringe as they think about all of the extreme changes they will have to make. Envisioning having to sacrifice taste for nutrition, many people give up on the idea altogether. While you will have to make some changes, there’s no reason eating healthy has to mean giving up all of the foods you enjoy. These tips suggested by award physician Dr. Jan McBarron can help you bring a wider variety of healthy foods to your meals without having to deprive your taste buds of pleasure.
Replace White Bread and Bagels
One of the best changes you can make for yourself is to switch from white breads to whole grains. This is easy because you’re not really sacrificing anything, and many people find that whole grain breads are actually more flavorful. Additionally, you’ll be giving your body more of the fiber and nutrients it needs for more efficient digestion.
Don’t Give Up Your Lean Meats
While you should eat a diet that consists primarily of plant-based foods, nutritionists, such as Dr. Jan McBarron, recommend including a portion of lean red meats and poultry. Your meat serving should make up roughly one-third of your meal, providing you with a protein boost. This will be enough protein to help your body build and repair muscle, promote the release of hormones, and strengthen the bones. A small serving of meat, fish, or poultry will also add some variety to each meal, helping you to enjoy your new healthy diet.
Drink More Water
If you drink a lot of juice or soda, it may be time to switch to water. Both fruit juices and carbonated beverages contain high quantities of added sugar and sodium in addition to the high calories. The problem of drinking these beverages is compounded by the fact that people who drink juice and soda aren’t drinking as much water as they need to stay hydrated. At a minimum, you should be drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. This means you should be consistently drinking water throughout the day. Getting enough water will have the added benefit of helping you feel full for longer, which will keep you from snacking on unhealthy foods throughout the day.
You Can Still Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
While you should think twice about indulging in cakes and pastries, you don’t have to give up your sweets altogether. Mother Nature provides plenty of healthy alternatives that can satisfy your cravings. Bananas, berries, and melons are just a few different types of fruits that make a tasty treat, while giving your body a boost of vitamins and nutrients. If you need something a little sweeter, try adding a small serving of fat free whipped cream to your favorite fruit.
Start Your Day Off with Greek Yogurt
In general, yogurt provides the healthy bacteria that make up a thriving gut microbiome, but research has found Greek yogurt to be especially beneficial. Weight loss experts, like Dr. Jan McBarron, recommend Greek yogurt, because it’s strained to eliminate the watery whey that’s common in regular yogurt. This gives Greek yogurt a higher concentration of protein. Typically, you’ll get nine grams of protein for every 100 grams of yogurt. The richer protein content will help you stay full for longer without giving you the high carbs that you might otherwise take in through snacking.
Start Taking a Vitamin D Supplement
Vitamin D is vital to health, especially as we begin to reach our senior years. It helps keep the immune system in good condition, while also supporting bone health. Unfortunately, the best way to get vitamin D is exposure to the sun, but those UV rays can also be harmful and can cause skin cancer. For this reason, most of us have extremely deficient levels of vitamin D. While vitamin D is rarely found in foods, taking a daily supplement can help increase the levels of this vital nutrient in your body.
You Can Still Dine Out
Many families make it a habit to go out for dinner once per week. If this is something your family does, there’s no reason you have to give it up for the sake of nutrition. There are plenty of healthy options available at most restaurants today. You may have to ditch the traditional fast food, but there are even newer fast food options that specialize in serving nutritious options. Taking the time to browse your area for nutritious dining options may introduce you to new eateries in your area that serve healthier foods.
Eating healthy can be fun and exciting. By making gradual changes over time,
and looking for flavorful substitutes, you can more easily adopt a healthier
diet. Since natural foods are also more easily digested by the body, you’ll
find it easier to lose weight as well. Overall, making these dietary changes
will lead to a healthier and happier you.
