When most people hear the word “diet” it conjures up feelings of deprivation, a ton of restrictions and an overall feeling of begin completely uncomfortable!
Let’s reframe for a moment.
I like to teach my clients that their “diet” is how they generally eat for life. Of course moderation is key and the goal isn’t perfection, however, we want to aim for the majority of our diet to be rich in nutrients to fully nourish our over trillion cells in our body!
So let’s look at what we want to aim for most days…
- Increase veggie intake!
A plant based diet is the healthiest for our bodies. Be sure to include tons of green leafy and colorful veggies in your meals. If you aren’t a fan of veggies toss them into a smoothie in the morning …for example, a smoothie I love is a handful of kale, an avocado, handful of frozen mango chunks with a splash of orange juice. Delish!
- Lean proteins
Ideally we want to stay away from animal fats so reducing consumption of red meats that are hard to digest and often artery clogging. Grab some lean chicken or pork or better yet some tofu or beans and throw it in a wrap for lunch with veggies or grill it on the BBQ, make a soup, or add to a salad.
- Drink more Water
Most of us only drink water when we are thirsty. I have a great app on my phone called “Good Habits” that reminds me every day to drink more water. Water is needed to remove waste from cells, bring in nutrients and to transport oxygen throughout the body. If you are exercising you want to drink even more! Don’t wait until you are thirsty as that is a sign you are already dehydrated. Keep a water bottle with you at all times .
- Eliminate processed foods
Make a promise to yourself that you won’t eat anything that comes in a package form. They are low in nutrients and high in refined carbohydrates. Examples include; breakfast cereals, granola bars, fruit snacks, bacon, frozen dinners, microwave popcorn and more.
- Increase your intake of omega 3’s
Omega 3’s are known to reduce inflammation within the body that can lead to chronic diseases such as cancer. Found typically in fish and plant sources such as nuts and seeds aim to get at least 3 servings a week in your diet.
- Limit alcohol intake
Aside from anti-oxidants found within red wine, overall, alcohol is void of nutrition and just a source of empty calories providing really next to no value to our cells. Excess alcohol intake is hard on your liver and daily cognitive functioning.
- Watch your sugar
Sugar is the leading contributor to obesity in our society. Omit or severely limit candies, soft drinks, ice cream, cereals, dried fruit, syrups, jams, cookies, cakes, muffins and sauces from your main diet.
Eating following the above tips the majority of the week will get you well on your way to a healthy diet that will get you the results you body is truly craving to be its healthiest!
Kathryn
