These are some of my favourite ideas to nudge you into eating more healthily. Although some feel relatively small, these changes soon add to help you eat (and feel) better.
Get planning: this one gets the top spot as I think it’s key. A little bit of planning can go a long way. Even if the plan is to eat at home certain nights of the week, be out others or to have leftovers. It’s so much easier to eat well when you plan to (in the same way that planning in exercise makes it more likely to happen). Making sure you have the right foods available at home can be a real game changer.
Start your day with some protein: Protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer and help to keep blood sugar balanced. This might be including some eggs, natural yoghurt or a sprinkle of nuts and seeds on your breakfast. Did you know that chia seeds are a complete protein, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids? They can also be made into a delicious chia pudding. Simply take 2x tablespoons of chia seeds and mix with ½ cup of milk of your choice. Once it’s all been stirred together, leave it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. This can be topped with berries, nut butter or whole nuts. Put it in a jar for a portable, quick breakfast on the go.
Read labels: it can be a real eye-opener to start reading what’s in some of your favourite foods. Ingredients are listed in order of the largest, by weight, first. If the label contains more than 5 ingredients, if any of them aren’t something you’d find in your kitchen at home and if the product is wrapped in plastic, it’s very likely it’s an ultra-processed food.
Put colour on your plate: include colourful fruit and vegetables. Each colour brings a different nutrient and health benefits. These phytonutrients decrease inflammation, help our immune system and give us a boost of antioxidants.
Switch up your fruit and veg: it’s very easy to eat the same old fruit and veg day after day. If you always have an apple or banana for breakfast, think of some others you could swap in, berries if you like them can be a good choice (and the frozen ones are cheaper and last longer). If it’s always carrots and peas for dinner, think of ways to mix this up too. I like to roast a big tray of veg to have throughout the week, which I mix around to keep it different.
Minimise snacking: snacking can mean an array of different things, but by this I mean mindless or unconscious eating throughout the day of ‘grab and go’ type snacks which aren’t especially nutritious. You’re better off having 3 meals a day with breaks in between.
Look for the protein on your plate: it’s not just breakfast where protein is helpful. Carb heavy meals such as pasta, pizza or baguettes can contain little (if any) protein, which can lead to feeling hungry again soon after and fluctuating blood sugar levels.
Hydration: although this isn’t really about ‘eating’, not drinking enough water can lead to brain fog, headaches, constipation and a general inability to focus. One of water’s key functions is to remove toxins from the body. Herbal teas are a great and easy way to boost water intake.
Fill your cupboards with the foods you want to eat: it may sound like an obvious one, but it’s a lot harder to snack on foods you want to cut down on, if you don’t keep them at home.
Write it down: finally, this one isn’t suitable for everyone but it can be helpful to keep a food diary. I usually suggest 2 week/ work days and 1 non-work day. This can be a really good way of really seeing what you’re eating and areas where you might want to make changes.
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