Eat better....Eat less

It really makes it difficult to change your eating habits when you still have junk in you cupboards. If you’re truly trying to make a lifestyle change, it only makes sense to change your family’s eating habits to. I’m not saying you can’t have occasional treats; they just need to be occasional.

 A lot of the food we buy is loaded with chemicals. Pay attention to how many ingredients are in the things you buy. The more ingredients they have, the more processed they are. Processed foods are made to dissolve quickly in your mouth. This often gets you to eat faster and in greater quantities. This often leaves you full, but not satisfied. Processed foods are usually high in salt. Processed meats have been shown to increase your risk of colorectal, kidney and stomach cancer. Processed foods can lead to depression and many more things!

So where do we go from here?

1.       Start by really looking at what is in your cupboards and fridge. Do you have a lot of quick and convient foods? Or do you have more natural foods? Do the things you eat truly satisfy and fill you? Or do they leave you hungry? You really have to get rid of the junk you have. Learn to truly enjoy food. Seek satisfaction in what you eat. Try a peach (or other fruit). Examine its color, smell it and take a bite. Give yourself a moment to truly enjoy it.

2.       Read labels on the food you buy. Be aware of what you are putting into your body. If you don’t know what 2 or more things are, it’s most likely not good for you.

3.       Wean yourself off excessive sugar, salt and fat. Now this will automatically happen as you start eating better. A good rule of thumb for sugar is if it has more than 30% of sugar in it, it is bad.

4.       Choose fresh whenever possible. Fresh foods are always going to be a better choice. Look for whole wheat when buying bread and pasta. Get fresh veggies over canned. Shop the outside aisles of the store. The aisles are filled with processed items while the outside has the meats, fruits and Veggies.

5.       Purchase organic whenever you can afford it!

You will soon find that by eating healthier, you will be fuller and more satisfied. Your pallet will slowly change and you may find you like foods you never thought you liked before.

As for treats, they truly become treats when you limit them to once in a blue moon. They also will be more enjoyable that way.