Little Diet Tweaks to Make a Big Difference
Tricks on getting healthy fast
Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference in your diet. Whether it’s drinking more water, or cutting out salt, or getting more sleep, there are certain things you can do to be healthier. Switching to almond milk instead of whole milk, or drinking more tumeric juice, are just two easy ways to make a change.
Read on as our nutrition experts share their best tips on how to have a healthier diet and lose weight without trying. Swimsuit season is here, and this is the perfect time to make healthy changes.
Nutrition advice worth heeding
When you're ready to eat healthier, there are easy tricks to do to feel full longer, and have more energy.
Rebecca Lewis, in-house RD at HelloFresh, gives her top suggestions:
- Swap out refined grains for whole grains. In addition to all those extra nutrients, you’ll be getting your daily recommended intake of fiber – which helps to keep us full and helps curb the desire to snack. Do this with your breads, pastas, crackers, tortillas; and swap white rice in favor of brown rice instead.
- Drink enough water throughout the day – often the desire to eat is triggered because you’re actually dehydrated.
- Add a blast of flavor with fresh herbs, citrus zest, and spice blends instead of reaching for the salt shaker.
- Have more in your fridge than your pantry. This will help eliminate all the boxed and bagged items that are shelf stable because they are higher in fats, sugars, and sodium.
- Wash and cut up fresh fruits/veggies as soon as you bring them home – so they can be grabbed easily. Put them where they can also be easily seen as a visual cue to eat more of them.
- When you eat, just eat. Many of us eat mindlessly while doing something else, and suddenly we haven’t registered that we just ate a whole bag of chips. Taking the time to savor foods will help prevent over-eating.
- Ask yourself if you are really hungry? When you are “stomach hungry” you are feeding a growling stomach which is trigged by hunger and indicates that you are low on energy. When you are “emotionally hungry” you are feeding a feeling trigged by emotions which may indicated that you are bored, sad, depressed, or even excited. Knowing the difference will balance how you eat with what you eat.
- Look at the ingredients list. Don’t be fooled by labeling. Low-fat can often equal high sugar or sodium. Pay attention to the serving size. Avoid foods with sugar in the first three ingredients. Use the 10:1rule (for every 10 grams of carbs there should be 1 gram of fiber).
- Use measuring cups/spoons to help with portion control. We often over-estimate how many healthy things we are eating and under-estimate how many unhealthy things we consume. In the right portion size and at the right level of moderation, you can enjoy just about any foods.
- Get enough sleep. When you are sleep deprived, your body produces more cortisol - which regulates appetite. As cortisol increases, our bodies produce higher than normal levels of ghrelin – our hunger hormone, causing us to crave foods even when we aren’t hungry.
Build your motivation and endurance
Los Angeles-based celebrity trainer Danny Musico is always pushing his clients to start with the simple stuff to build up motivation and endurance in order to see results with a diet. Taking simple steps to stick to your resolution is the most efficient and effective way to get results:
Eliminate Coffee, Sports Drinks And Soda: It’s no surprise that liquid calories are one of the simplest places to trim and lose weight/reduce toxins, but studies show that drinking a single can of diet soda each day can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Try Almond Butter Instead Of Peanut Butter: Compared to peanut butter, almond butter provides a better source of fiber and vitamin E, can boost your magnesium intake and has significantly more iron content.
Swap Natural Flavor Almond Milk for Whole Milk: In another win for almonds, almond milk is less caloric, lower in carbs and is rich is heart healthy mono-and polyunsaturated fats. Almond milk is naturally lactose-free, so it is a safe option for people who are lactose intolerant.
Curb Your Sweet Tooth With Organic Fruits and Vegetables: Instead of reaching for candy, tame your sweet tooth with chilled wild blueberries, honey crisp apples, celery and carrots.
Steam or Broil Your Foods Instead Of Frying: As much as it pains us to give up fried foods, they should be eliminated from your diet. Steaming or broiling meats and vegetables can still make for a delicious meal with the right seasoning and preparation.
Opt for Brown Rice In Place Of White Rice or Fatty Side Dishes: Brown rice is just as tasty as white rice and can be an easy swap for fatty starches. Even at most restaurants now, you can ask for brown rice instead of white rice in any dish.
Drink Turmeric Juice Instead Of Fruit Juice: Turmeric juice has proven better for the digestive system, immune system and overall health. Unlike sugar filled juices, turmeric juice supports anti-inflammation, great for bones and joints and known for its healing properties.
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