My Top Tips For Healthy Eating

I have met a number of people who are interested in eating healthier but have no idea where to start. If you are committed to making a serious lifestyle change, I strongly recommend that you see a nutritionist, dietitian or health coach. They will give you a plan that fits your lifestyle and are there to support you. For those of you who want to make small changes, here are my 5 top tips:

1. Keep a food diary - Track what you eat over the course of a week. The easiest way to do this is to use a food-tracking website or app (I like My Fitness Pal). Tracking will tell you if you are eating too much or too little, getting enough vitamins and minerals, and what percentage of your calories come from fat, carbs and protein. If you do decide to seek help from a professional, you will be asked to provide this information anyway so it is good to have.
   
   Tip: If your website or app has a feature that tells you how much to eat to lose weight, do not follow the advice! Eating a diet with an abundance of vegetables, fruit, plant-based proteins and healthy fats will help with weight loss. Cutting calories below 1500 may put your body into starvation mode. Your metabolism slows down and your body may cling on to fat rather than lose it. Check out 1200 Calories to learn more details about restricting calories.
   
2. Find some new favourite foods - If you restrict yourself to bland boring vegetables day after day, you'll end up hating yourself or giving in to comfort foods that are high in fat and added sugar. If I was forced to eat broccoli every day, I would compensate by eating pudding and Oreos. No joke. Oreos are awesome. Whenever I am getting bored with what I am eating, I grab some of my favourites: sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and blueberries. Yum!
   
   Eating healthier doesn't have to be boring and repetitive. Try some new fruits or vegetables. Prepare them in exciting new ways. Find out what your favorites are and reach for them when you need a change or are craving a treat.
   
3. Don't eat anything with a commercial - If it's on TV, it is probably full of empty calories, added sugars and refined oils. Don't eat it. Just don't.
   
4. Do some baking, not buying - If you keep junk food in the house, you will get into it whenever you have a craving. Instead, make the trek to the store and buy small servings of what you're craving. Half the time, the trip out won't be worth the effort! Better yet, grab a homemade treat from a local shop. Or, make your own! Find healthier versions of your favorite treats. You can easily whip up some Banana Ice Cream, make some No Bake PB Cookie Dough Bites, or do something adventurous like Healthy Oreos. You can also make your favourite treats. Just make sure you share some with your friends.
   
5. Eat more protein - If you find yourself hungry in between meals, you are more likely to snack. To satisfy hunger, add more protein to your meals. At breakfast, have some nut butter or try some protein powder in your shake. Add nuts and seeds to cereal and salads. Snack on a handful of nuts. Keep healthy protein bars on hand (I recommend Simply Bars). Eat more beans, lentils, tofu and seitan.

What tips do you have? Post them in the comments!