Healthy Eating Tips
Healthy eating; clean eating; whatever you want to call it we should all be making better food choices. We're constantly reminded of the dangers posed by our diets, but when should we take action? For me I started making better choices a few months ago. Over time, I've upped my fruit and vegetables, and eliminated as much processed foods and sugars as possible. And how do I feel: fantastic.
My diet now is pretty much exclusively vegetarian, and it's made such a difference to how I feel. I have more energy; my skin is much better and I'm just happier in general. Today I wanted to share with you some of the food swops I've made that I think have made such a difference.
1. Get rid of as much dairy as you can. I've never had the best relationship with dairy products. They have a tendency to make me ill, and nothing is worth risking that. Aside from illness, dairy has been linked to acne and if you consume large amounts isn't great for your weight either. I now use any of the Alpro Milks really, my favourite being the Almond Unsweetened. They taste great and work for me just as regular milk would. The huge plus is that they're low calorie and dairy free. Hooray! For me, I think this switch has had the biggest impact on my skin. I now have no hormonal breakouts and I'm thrilled. If you're having an issue with acne, maybe give this a try and see if it works for you.
2. Ditch the coffee (well most of it). I'm a coffee addict and I will happily admit it. Sadly, coffee has been shown to have a diuretic effect, which means it dehydrates you. A couple of cups a day could be drying out your skin and ageing you faster. An iced almond milk coffee is now my treat of choice and I try to only have one every other day. It satisfies the craving but saves my skin. This is another change that I think has made a big difference. Again my skin is better, but I find that I'm getting fewer headaches and experiencing no spikes and slumps in my energy levels. When I used to have coffee I'd get a nice boost or pick me up but then an hour later I'd be grumpy and tired. It's nice to feel more balanced day to day. If it's not a treat day and I want a warm drink, I now have a green tea with lemon. It's delicious, caffeine free and is healthy to boot.
3. Reduce your intake of processed carbs. By this I mean white bread, pasta etc. I'm a total carb fiend; there's nothing I love more than a big bowl of pasta. I'm not a big fan of the feelings I get after consuming said pasta though. The full feeling always turns to bloating and sluggishness and it's not how you want to be feeling. Don't get me wrong, I haven't cut carbs out, I just opt for whole wheat pasta; brown rice and bread. If you're a big fan of rice like me, I've also started using quinoa as an alternative. I've found it works especially well with curry's. It's definitely one of the fiddlier foods I've tried but it's worth it I promise. This is the change that I think has helped me lose some weight and become leaner. I've not been exercising any more than normal and carbs are one of the main culprits for weight gain. If you're after your dream beach body and exercise isn't cutting it, definitely have a look at your diet.
4. This one is entirely on you, but try to reduce or eliminate meat. If you're a die hard carnivore ignore this, but otherwise it might really benefit you. Most of the meals we eat have meat as a focal point, but by the end of last year I wasn't interested in the meat. I wanted the vegetables and the flavourings of the dishes I was eating. Knowing that, I just stopped adding meat and carried on cooking as I would, but with vegetables instead (my favourite meat substitute has been chick peas). Hand on heart, you wouldn't even know there was supposed to be meat in it. In terms of health benefits it's definitely let my stomach relax a little. We all know that meat is difficult to process so by cutting down on it, your stomach doesn't have to work as hard. As a result, you're digestive system should be on top form. Happy days.
5. Sack most of your sugary treats. I am by no means advocating an elimination diet. If I really want something I will have it, but in moderation. If you're eating well for the other 90% there's always space for treats. A doughnut every once in a while is fine, but for the rest of the time I've been using fruit as my sweet treat. A handful of berries hits the spot and is far better for you than those biscuits you've been eyeing up. This is definitely the hardest change, after all we're constantly being offered discounts on chocolate and sweets. In terms of the health benefits, the glaringly obvious one is that it reduces your risk of developing diabetes. This is something I hope we all want to avoid, so you know what to do. In general terms, I think this is one of the most important changes to make. I read an article that pretty much sums it up, but by far sugar is the thing that can have the biggest impact on your life. Maybe put down those biscuits and pick up a banana every once in a while, who knows you might even like it!
And those were my two cents. It's your body and you can do what you like with it, so go do your research and see what you think. I did mine; I'm taking care of my body and it's reaping the rewards. It's really true that if you look after your body, it will look after you. I hope you found this useful, and if you've anything you'd like to add feel free!
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