Transform Your Diet and Eat Healthier with These Tips

Posted by Jake Riviera on April 13th, 2021

Most people wish they ate healthier, but doing so is often easier said than done. A good, nutritious diet can help your body to fight off illness, get a more restful night of sleep, increase mental alertness and reduce the risk of certain diseases. 

If you’re ready to make better choices when it comes to your diet, look no further. These tips will help to guide you toward healthier food choices, so you can establish a more nutritious diet overall. 

Look at Nutrients

In order to function properly, your body requires several nutrients to support all the internal systems that help you to survive. Carbohydrates, fat and protein are the three primary macronutrients that must be consumed regularly, and in the correct amounts for your body and lifestyle, to aid your body in various functions and keep your body at a healthy weight. 

Getting appropriate amounts of nutrients involves focusing more on what your body needs rather than simply what you shouldn’t eat. People with dietary restrictions, especially, should eat to nourish their body, focusing on high fiber carbohydrates, vegan proteins and foods with unsaturated fats.

Focus on Produce

Putting more fresh fruits and vegetables on your plate at every meal is an obvious choice when it comes to cleaning up your diet, but most adults don’t consume as many servings per day of healthy, plant-based foods as they should. 

A simple way to incorporate more healthy fruit and vegetables into your diet is to invest in preparation. Store containers of chopped veggies and commit to snacking on a piece of fruit while cooking dinner rather than eating the meal’s ingredients while hungry. 

For prepared vegetables and side dishes, treat them like an important part of the meal. Steamed vegetables can get tired and boring after a while, but adding a few new spices or switching up the preparation method can go a long way in keeping things interesting and appetizing. 

Make Smarter Choices

Eating better doesn’t always require any expensive grocery trips to stock up on healthy options. Making better choices begins right where you are, with what you already have on hand. Rather than frying potatoes for french fries in oil at home, try a new recipe for oil-free, baked oven fries. When thirsty, grab a glass of water instead of a sugary soda or juice. 

Smarter food choices go beyond food groups. Making healthier choices also involves controlling portion sizes, scheduling meal times at reasonable hours or choosing more nutritious, lower calorie options. Pay attention to what you’re eating, when and how, and examine whether there is a better, healthier choice available to you. 

Reduce Unhealthy Foods

It goes without saying, but cutting out or reducing foods that either do not contribute to or are detrimental to your overall health and wellbeing will automatically give your diet an overall nutritional boost. It isn’t necessary to cut out fats, sugars or convenience foods. Simply focus on nourishing your body, while allowing yourself to satisfy a craving or two as part of a balanced diet that is less focused on intense restriction and more on sustainable changes like healthy swaps. 

Though they appear healthy on the surface, many fruit drinks are packed with sugar, despite touting that one glass contains a full serving of fruits or vegetables. Even diet foods or certain weight loss products can be loaded with sugar or other unhealthy additives. Some unhealthy foods may be obvious, but others may require some investigation. When in doubt, check the nutrition facts and read the ingredients. 

A few simple changes can drastically alter your diet and give your body more of the nutrition it needs to function well. No matter what diet changes you make, keep them simple, realistic and mindful to make them sustainable lifestyle choices rather than deprivations or strict restrictions.

The journey to your healthiest body may take some time, but with diligence and a few careful choices, your well-nourished body will thank you.