A lot of people avoid eating healthy, because they have a distorted image of exactly what that means. They think it means crunching on carrots, celery and lettuce all day and giving up all other types of delicious food. The thing that surprises them is that healthy food actually tastes good. In fact, once you develop the habit of eating healthy, the food at a fast food place doesn’t taste good. You also notice how you feel worse after you eat it.
Mother Nature provides all the ingredients to create a gourmet delight.
Too many Americans have a diet of processed food and haven’t eaten healthy for quite a while. Eating healthy starts with ingredients that are closest to their natural form. They have no chemicals or preservatives and still contain fiber, protein and healthy fat. Spicing everyday dishes with fresh herbs is one way to make any dish special and avoid bland eating. You can also use fresh veggies and spiralize them into vegetable noodles or try some amazing vegetable squash. Toss lean protein options like chicken in herbs and spices or marinate it, then air fry it. It’s super quick and delicious.
Have some fresh salad every meal.
Salad fills you up and not out, plus provides loads of nutrients. When people think of salads, too often they think of the fast food variety that has a handful of iceberg lettuce, a cherry tomato and some grated carrot. That’s just plum boring. Why not make it more exciting? Toss in some herbs, like cilantro or basil. Experiment with a variety of lettuce like oak leaf lettuce that has a nutty flavor. Toss in some nuts and berries and other types of veggies, including sweet onion. Create your own dressing and experiment with flavors until you find one you love. You can even top with Parmesan cheese or feta.
There should be a life beyond burgers and fries.
If you’re existing on burgers and fries, with a bacon burger or two for variety, you’re missing some of the best protein sources available that taste delicious, too. Wild salmon, for instance has amazing flavor and is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, something too low in the diet of most Americans. Use those fresh herbs to add flavor. Is your budget tight? Not a problem. Have a meatless Monday with red beans and rice. It’s an inexpensive form of protein. You can even add quinoa to your favorite salad as a protein source, to make it a complete meal.
- Eating healthy can take planning. It’s simply too easy to stop for a carry out dinner. Plan your meals for the week one day, shop another and cook for the whole week over the weekend. Reheating takes less time than sitting in a drive through line and even saves money.
- Look for the healthiest options. If you include dairy, like butter, choose butter that came from grass-fed cows. It contains more conjugated linoleic acid, which is heart healthy. The same is true of beef.
- Eating healthy on a budget can be even cheaper if nothing goes to waste. If you have left over meat or vegetables, there’s nothing better than a bowl of soup from the leftovers that might have gone to waste.
- If you’re interested in trying spaghetti squash, there are a number of ways to cook it. All involve cutting and removing the seeds and it’s hard. Poke holes with a knife several places along the line you’ll cut, then microwave for 5 or 6 minutes then cut on the dotted line.
For more information, contact us today at Habitat Health and Fitness