Are you someone who says, “I really do want to change my eating habits and eat cleaner!”
But then life gets in the way!?
Any habit change requires intentionality.
Developing healthy lifestyle habits helps prevent chronic diseases from even starting – such as heart conditions, lipid disorders, diabetes, cancer, stroke, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure.
The choice is yours.
Once you decide to make healthy living a lifestyle, here are two simple steps to start eating cleaner:
- DON’T consume sugar, artificial sweeteners, and highly processed foods. This is step number one and the one that will likely have a huge impact if you regularly consume these types of items. This means dramatically reducing consumption of things like soda, diet soda, packaged sweets, donuts, cookies, ice cream, candy, potato chips, (and the like) as well as fast food and processed packaged foods. Get them out of your house!
- DO eat lots of vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, and some fruit. These foods give you life, energy, health, and healing. The more you consume = improved health! How to start? These two concepts are very simple.Unfortunately, they get more difficult when you find yourself in the grocery store aisles!
- Thus, step number 3 is learn/choose to make your own delicious food using healthy ingredients. We encourage you to keep it simple! One-dish and/or “sheet pan” meals are your friends!Basically, you want to include a source of protein (fish, chicken, meat), veggies, and good fat when making a meal. Simple example meals:
Breakfast:
• Eggs, sliced avocado, sliced tomatoes, on toast
• Greek yogurt, chopped almonds, fresh berries
• Protein smoothie – pea protein powder, plant-based milk, nut butter, fresh spinach, banana, ice cubes and espresso mixed in a blender!Lunch:
• Dark greens, homemade tuna/chicken/egg salad, handful of nuts and raisins
• Chicken breast pieces with peppers and onions wrapped in GF tortilla with avocado, sour cream, and salsa
• Hamburger patty on top of spinach with hard boiled egg, served with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and some honey mustard dressing.Dinner:
• Salmon, lemon slices, green beans, quartered potatoes – toss with olive oil and herbs and place all on a sheet pan and bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes.
• *The protein here is salmon – you also use chicken pieces, meatballs, beef slices, boneless pork chops, etc. and any veggies – broccoli, cauliflower, squash, mushrooms, peppers, onions, etc.
There are many great cooking websites and cookbooks available nowadays. Start perusing those! Get ideas! Check out Pinterest!
Take the first step! You can do it!
We cannot stress this enough – never underestimate the power of food on your health!