At this time of year many of us are trying to start things off on the right foot, so I thought I would share a few simple ways to eat healthier without having to go on any crazy diets. I’d love to hear your tips and suggestions as well!
1. Meal Plan
Meal Planning has massively improved my eating habits in so many ways, and I most definitely eat healthier when I am sticking to my meal plan. Kicking off the year by getting started with meal planning is an excellent way to start your 2017, and if you need some tips to get started then my Meal Planning 101 Guide might be the answer!
2. Use a Shopping List
This ties neatly to meal planning but is important regardless – if you use a shopping list and actually stick to it when you’re at the shops then you’re almost guaranteed to eat healthier as you’ll be limiting the less-healthy foods at your disposal! Using a shopping list has other benefits too – it will save you money and reduce your food waste – wins!
3. Drink More Water
It’s so easy to mindlessly drink a whole lot of additional sugar and calories if we sip away at juice or soft drinks all day long, so where possible replace that with water and you’ll find yourself instantly more healthy. I pretty much have a water bottle with me at all times as I actually really like drinking water, but if you need some suggestions on ways to drink more water I can help with that too!
4. Use Smaller Plates
Portion sizes can be so hard to manage, so one trick is to just use a smaller plate to serve your meals. It makes you think you’re still eating a lot, but you’re more likely to actually be eating the recommended serving size of your meal. This is something I’m going to be trying this year!
5. Cook For Yourself
This is a fairly simple tip but one that is worth repeating – the more we cook for ourselves the more likely we will eat healthier food! You get to control exactly what goes in the meal, how much you make and choose fresh, delicious ingredients. It doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming either, for me simple, quick meals are just as tasty!
6. Add Extra Veggies
One of the really simple ways to eat healthier is to just cram in more veggies to pretty much everything you eat! This could include doubling the amount of a vegetable that a recipe calls for, adding additional veggies to a dish or serving a salad alongside your dinner every night. You can even get your veggies in at breakfast too, in the form of greens in your smoothie, fritters with your eggs or a giant pile of mushrooms on toast!
7. Bring Your Lunch
This is a habit I got into a while back and it really does make a huge difference. Not only am I saving a whole lot of money but I’m able to properly control what I eat at lunch time without having to resort to whatever I can find in a local cafe (and I work somewhere with lots of cafes!). It doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of delicious food though! I make a different hearty and flavourful salad every Sunday afternoon which I portion out for the next few days lunches, then rely on dinner leftovers later in the week which means I have variety each week and get to play around with salad recipes all the time. Yum!
8. Eat the Rainbow
The more colours you can get on your plate in the course of a week the healthier you will be eating (well, unless the colours comes from lollies and the like!) and you’re also more likely to be getting a good spread of vitamins and minerals in your diet as well. Leafy green veggies are always an excellent place to start, but adding as many other colours you can across the day is an excellent challenge to set yourself, plus it makes the food look pretty as well!
9. Pre-Prepare Snacks
If you stock your fridge with pre-prepared snacks like cut-up vegetable sticks and small portions of dip then you’re more likely to grab them when you need a quick bite to eat, rather than reaching for biscuits or chocolate. It takes no time at all to whip them up and have them ready either!
10. Don’t Shop Hungry
Last but not least, don’t do your shopping on an empty stomach! You’ll find yourself coming home with all kinds of unnecessary purchases and most of them won’t be healthy choices! Do your meal plan, make your shopping list, line your stomach then hit the shops! You’ll be well on the way to healthier eating choices before you know it!
When we eat, tiny food particles get stuck in the teeth and cause tooth decay and cavity. Contact Hills Dental Design for more details and possible check-up for treating your teeth.
I hope these simple ways to eat healthier are helpful, I’d love to hear your tips too!
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I Spy Plum Pie is Liz, an early 30s kiwi-born, Melbourne raised girl who is passionate about the environment and sustainability, food, exploring and learning new things. Join me on my journey to a happy, sustainable life!
Karin @ Calm to Conniption
January 14, 2017 at 8:32 pm (7 years ago)Great tips! If I keep control of my groceries and go in with some sort of plan my diet for that week changes drastically!
Karin @ Calm to Conniption recently posted…The Ultimate Rabbit Hole #100: Handing over my wings
I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
February 24, 2017 at 6:51 pm (7 years ago)Everything in my week goes more smoothly if I plan my food!
Ashleigh - My Meow
January 15, 2017 at 7:39 pm (7 years ago)Shopping hungry is a killer for me!
I find for work lunches I just make things in bulk that way I don’t have to think too much and buying the same food saves cash.
I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
February 24, 2017 at 6:52 pm (7 years ago)I’m all about removing thinking where possible!
Vanessa
January 16, 2017 at 9:38 am (7 years ago)I pre-make ‘leftovers’ and freeze them. In the morning, I just grab a bag from the freezer and go. It makes life so much easier. And I find it easier to cook three meals at once than one. Who knows.
Vanessa recently posted…My Christmas Staycation
I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
February 24, 2017 at 6:52 pm (7 years ago)I find it much easier too! My freezer is always packed with different kinds of meals!