Five Ways to Eat Healthier--One Meal at a Time

It takes a little more discipline for some of us to start healthy eating. But if we start with small changes, they add up fast!

You Have the Power to Choose.
What do you choose to buy. You eat what you buy. So watch the snack chips and crackers. (They pack the weight on and empty your wallet!) Fruit is delicious, and even though it is pricier in the winter, it is still a better value per pound compared to a bag of Chips!

First: Change your ratios. Start with buying less snacks and junk food and buy more fruit and veggies. Or start the change by buying yogurt and granola to sprinkle on top. Make small zip bags of nuts or healthy bite size cereal to control portions. Keep them in your car or desk to control portions, and to prevent stopping for a quick burger.

Second: The outer aisles of the grocery store are where the healthier foods are; fruits, and vegetables and fish, which are naturally lower in fat and cholesterol. They also have not been filled with sugar, salt and other preservatives that add on the pounds.

Third: Read labels of the food you buy. "Low in Fat," or "light," are not necessarily the healthiest choice. They are often higher in sodium, or if its lower in sugar it may be higher in fat.

Logic also says that with so many low fat, sugar free, and light choices of foods available to us, we should be getting thinner not heavier. But we are doing just the opposite as a nation. Your body knows how to process natural sugar. So eat it in moderation, and choose natural sugars over sugar free, or sugar substitutes.

Check out the labels of the foods you have at home. Compare the differences in the amounts of sodium, sugar, carbohydrates, and calories per serving. Look for alternative foods with fewer calories , sodium, and fats.

Fourth:
Start now to change to sensible sized food portions. If your plate has a serving of rice that can't fit into the cupped palm of your hand, then, in most cases, the amount of food you've chosen is too much. Using this technique is a good way to mentally measure the amounts of food that go onto your plate. You can also use your fist for a measurement. The size of a fist or cupped hand is about the same size as one cup.

Fifth:
Retrain your taste buds and your brain and attitude toward better food choices. The natural sweetness of oranges or apples can't compete with sugary candy bars, but if you retrain and relearn, your body and senses will learn to enjoy the replacements. Don't deprive yourself totally, or it makes things worse. Buy snack size candy bars or small bags of treats, and portion every thing out in small bags, so when your bag is empty, you are done.. Generally, your taste buds are satisfied after one bite of food. Try it, you can really see that this is true.