You Are What You Eat: 12 Tips on How to Start Eating Healthy

Have you ever heard the saying “you are what you eat”? Well, it’s true. What we eat plays a significant role in our physiological health. Unfortunately, one in four Americans eat junk foods at least once a day, and if you are one of them, there’s no need to panic. You can turn that around starting today.

Switching from unhealthy to healthy eating habits can seem like a bit of a challenge. According to a 2012 study, some Americans find it easier to do their taxes than to eat healthy. But don’t worry, it’s possible to maintain a healthy diet. In this article, we will show you how to start eating healthy with 12 easy tips that can help transform your eating habits and set you up for a lifetime of resounding health.

1. Understand Why You’re Doing This

Breaking a bad habit is not always easy because it took years to adapt to that habit. The best way to start is to identify why you’re doing this, and constantly remind yourself of it. Maybe you want to lose weight, avoid diabetes, or other health complications associated with sugary foods. Write it down and place it where you can see it every day. If your motivation comes from within, you’ll have a much greater chance of succeeding on this quest.

2. Go Easy on Yourself

If you want to build a sustainable lifestyle change, it’s going to take some time, so go easy on yourself. One of the greatest mistakes people make when trying to switch to healthier eating is that they try to erase overnight, a habit that took them years to build. Junk foods stimulate the pleasure center of the brain, making you crave more. That craving isn’t going to disappear overnight. Start small by gradually reducing the amount of unhealthy foods in your diet and replacing them with healthier options. Do it gradually until there are none left and resolve never to buy unhealthy foods again.

3. Clear out Sugary and Highly-Processed Foods

Sugar is a sweet poison that harms your body, leading to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Before you reach for your next bottle of soda or that big cup of ice cream, think twice. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, one of the greatest sources of refined sugars is beverages like fruit drinks, soft drinks, energy drinks, alcoholic drinks, and sweetened coffee.

Highly processed foods are inherently bad because most of their essential nutrients have been stripped off during processing. Clear out this food from your fridge and pantry. Do it gradually until there’s none left and resolve not to buy unhealthy foods again.

4. Introduce Clean Foods

What are clean foods? Any food that nature provides—fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and unrefined whole grains (beans, brown rice, etc.). Clean foods are loaded with fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and even antioxidants, all of which are important for overall health.

Fill your kitchen and refrigerator with these kinds of foods, and you’ll naturally eat more of them and develop a lasting taste for healthy diets.

5. Don’t Ignore Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds may appear tiny, but they pack a serious nutritional punch. Chia seeds, for instance, contain protein, fiber, antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, and a ton of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron, and manganese. All these nutrients play a significant role in promoting good health.

Other great nuts and seeds include flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, almonds, pistachios, and dried berries. Sprinkle them over your cereal, make them a part of your baking recipe or snack on them instead of fries or candy bars.

6. Add Veggies To At Least One Meal Each Day

Veggies contain many important vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that help your body systems function properly, and high-fiber varieties can make you feel full while consuming significantly fewer calories. Make vegetables a regular part of your diet. Aim for at least one serving of vegetables per day. As you move along, you can fill up to half of your plate with them.

Roast your veggies with salt, pepper, and some oil, and combine them with your favorite whole grains and protein sources for a delicious meal. Add veggies to your soup recipes, or try different preparation methods until they are something you enjoy.

7. Make Healthy Foods Readily Available

Surround yourself with healthy foods because when you’re hungry, you’ll most likely eat the first thing you see. Keep healthy foods anywhere you know and look for food, on the kitchen cabinet, the cupboard, the refrigerator, pantry, on your desk at work, everywhere. Merely seeing these healthier food options can help to condition your mind to your new eating habit.

8. Eat on Smaller Plates

Watch your portion sizes even when eating healthy. When you eat from large plates, you’re likely to eat more because it can trick your brain into thinking you haven’t had enough. But when you eat on smaller plates, you’ll feel full quicker, thereby avoiding overeating even while you’re on a healthy diet.

9. Use Whole-Grain Flour When Baking

Whole-grain flour contains the bran and germ, which is absent in regular flours, and these significantly improve the nutritional quality of whatever products you make from it. Substitute just half if you’re not entirely comfortable with the look, feel, or taste of whole-grain flours. As you get more and more inured to it, you can ditch the regular flour completely.

10. Have a Green Smoothie Every Morning

Green smoothies are an excellent way to consume a lot of vitamins and minerals in one go. They are easy to make and adaptable to your taste, increasing your vegetable intake without eating them whole. Add some fresh greens to your blender, add some fruits, including bananas, berries, and mangoes, along with some healthy fats such as nuts or seeds for a delicious and nutritious breakfast.

Start Eating Healthy Today

The transition to healthy eating can be simple and easy with the above twelve tips. You don’t have to do it all at once but pace yourself and gradually substitute unhealthy meals for healthier options. Surround yourself with healthier foods until it becomes a habit. You are what you eat, so choose healthier today for a better tomorrow.