5 Simple Hacks for Eating Healthy Everyday
1. Cook for the Whole Family
As a wife and mother, when I began my weight loss journey, I knew that if I did not carry my family along on my journey, I was going to fail. So, I carried everyone along and got rid of everything that could affect my goals. I made my husband see the value for both our health and I ensured that I continued to prepare delicious meals, even though they were now healthy. The danger with having a "special" diet meal just for you is that your immediate environment still has those things/foods that work against your desired diet/weight; and you can easily slide back. Remember the aim isn't just weight loss. It is healthy eating. So, if it’s good for you, it’s good for your spouse and the children too.
2. Practice Meal Swapping.
Swap calorie dense, high sugar and/or high fat foods for the healthier alternatives. For example,
Oats instead of pap (corn pudding) or custard.
Fruits in oats instead of whole milk and sugar.
Whole wheat bread instead of white bread.
Unsweetened plant-based milk instead of whole milk.
More veggies than rice in "fried" rice.
Etc.
3. Meal Prep.
Meal prep is the practice of cooking foods in larger quantities ahead with the purpose of saving cooking time during the week. Meal prepping has shown to be very beneficial.:
It saves time.
It helps you plan ahead.
It reduces the chances of grabbing and eating anything available.
It reduces chances of eating out.
Since you’re not hungry when meal prepping, you’re likely to dish the right portions of all the macronutrients.
4. Reduce Fat in Your Cooking.
Nigerians/Black people generally cook with way too much fat. It is not surprising that we have growing statistics of people with high blood pressure.
Healthy fat is good. It promotes satiety, makes food more palatable, lubricates joints, gives energy, etc.
But too much fat is bad. One tablespoon of oil is 120 calories (13.6g). A person on a 2000 calorie diet should eat 44-77g of fat per day. Too much fat contributes to weight gain, increases risk of heart disease, and can increase content of bad cholesterol in the body.
5. Reduce Your Added-Sugar Intake
Added sugars work against our healthy diets really easily, as noted in my previous post: Limiting Added Sugars in Your Diet. Too much sugar intake:
Contributes to weight gain.
Can cause tooth decay.
Increases risk for Type II diabetes.
Increases risk of heart disease.
May increase the risk of depression.
How much calories should you eat daily? Find out here...
