1. Drink water. Drink a glass in the morning before eating. Add lemon juice for an extra boost. Keep a water bottle close by as you go about your day. A glass of water before meals can also help keep your family from overeating. Opt for water rather than juice, milk or soda most of time.
2. Have a plan. Having a plan takes out the stress caused by last minute meal decisions. Without a plan you are more likely to reach unhealthy quick options or grab fast food on the way home. A planned meal will almost always be more nutritious, not to mention that it will also save you money. Plan a week, two weeks or even a month ahead. Make a list of your family’s favorite foods for breakfast, lunch, snack time or dinner as a reference and then fill in the calendar. Buy the groceries and do the prep. Don’t worry if you can’t always follow it to a tee. Life happens and things come up, but have a plan and do what you can to stick to it.
3. Keep a well stocked pantry. Another time you will be more likely to crave and eat something less than nutritious is when you find your cupboards bare. Keeping the basic items that you use often readily available will help meal preparations to go more smoothly and successfully. You’ll open the fridge or the pantry and see options and options are good to have.
4. Stock up on a variety of fruits and vegetables. We could all use more fruits and veggies in our diet, but if they’re not in our kitchens and in our fridge, we don’t even have the option. Fresh fruit is easy to have at every breakfast and make great snacks (or even desserts). In order to eat several servings of vegetables each day you need to make sure they are served with lunch, dinner and in between (or you can consider drinking ShakeologyÒ that has over 9 servings of fruits and vegetables in one glass and be done – safe for kids too!). If your kids wander in looking for something to eat before dinner is actually ready, a plate of fresh veggies set out can curb their hunger and assure that they still have an appetite come dinner time.
5. Limit treats. First I have to admit that I have a sweet tooth. But I also recognize that there is way too much sugar in the standard American diet. Perhaps just choose one or two days a week for treats to have something to look forward to, which makes it easier to say “no” at other times during the week. Be adventurous and try sugar substitutes (like honey, truvia or stevia).
6. Cook in bulk. One of the hardest parts of healthier habits is that they take time. When you take the time out of your busy day to prepare a nutritious dinner, really make it count. Make extra to have enough for dinner, for lunch the next day and then two more meals worth in the freezer to eat in another week or two.
7. Choose real food. As easy as it is to grab a freezer meal or pour something out of a box or a can, these options are anything but nutritious. They are usually highly processed and include an abundance of sugars, sodium, bad fats and empty carbs.
8. Enjoy your food. Take time to sit down and enjoy the food you eat. Taste the flavors and thoroughly chew. This will aid your digestion and can be valuable time to visit with your family or reflect on your day.
Don’t let the fact that leading a healthy lifestyle can be challenging. It does make a difference and it is worth the extra effort.
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