Originally published on amolife.com
While eating healthy is a common goal, many people make the mistake of trying to completely change their diet overnight. If you change everything about your diet all at once, you are bound to grow frustrated and give up on healthy eating entirely. It is much more effective to make small, easy changes toward healthier eating habits.
If you can cut out one bad habit a week, you'll be developing a healthy routine that is built to last. If you're unsure where to start, here David Reagan, a certified personal trainer from Atlanta, shares five easy ways to change your unhealthy diet.
1. No Sugary Drinks
Cutting out sugary drinks is an easy way to change your diet. You don't even have to change the food you eat to significantly cut down on your sugar consumption. While everyone is aware soda is a bad choice for your health, even juice is often an unhealthy option. Unless you use a juicer at home, the juice you are drinking is most likely full of sugar and artificial ingredients. Switch to drinking only water and reap the health benefits.
2. Add Smoothies
If you're someone who struggles to get a lot of fruits and veggies in their diet, smoothies can be a lifesaver. Even smoothies you make at home with no added sugar can be incredibly sweet and easy to drink. If you've followed the first step of cutting out sugary drinks, smoothies can be a good way to quell your sweet tooth with natural sugar. You can pack your smoothie full of fresh fruits and vegetables to get your daily recommended amount of veggies. A healthy smoothie in the morning is the perfect way to start off your day.
3. Portion Control
Having a hard time changing the food you eat? A good place to start is to eat the same food you like but utilize portion control. Yes, you can still eat pasta when focusing on a healthy diet, but eating it daily will be an issue. Try to mix some of your favorite foods with healthier meals throughout the week. And when you do indulge in unhealthy food, measure the amount you eat so you aren't consuming too much junk food.
4. Switch to Nuts
For people who enjoy eating chips or other salty snacks, try cutting out processed junk food in favor of nuts. Nuts can curb your craving for salt while providing you with plenty of protein. Nuts are great at curbing hunger and will leave you feeling full and satisfied. You can cut back on the amount you snack daily due to hunger pangs by switching to nuts.
5. Stop Eating Out
Simply switching from fast food to home-cooked food will drastically alter your diet. Cooking at home will cut down on the oil and trans fats in your meals. While cooking at home may take some effort, there are a variety of quick recipes that take as much time as sitting in a fast-food drive-through. Search for easy beginner recipes online to start your path to healthier eating.
Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to change all your bad habits at once. Slowly motivate yourself to make small healthy changes that lead to a sustainable diet.