This month's blog offers straightforward tips and easy additions to kick-start your journey toward healthier eating - one small step at a time.
The focus is on enriching your diet with nutritious options rather than restrictive changes!
Let's just look at one day, as an example, of where small changes can start.
Rise and Dine - Breakfast Ideas
Some people enjoy breakfast whilst others can't face any food first thing in the morning. I believe there is no right or wrong as there are advantages to both.
Having a healthy and nourishing breakfast is a great way to start the day, as it gives you slow release energy, with no glucose spikes and subsequent cravings for sugary snacks.
If you can't face breakfast first thing in the morning, don't worry—you're actually giving your digestive system time to clean and repair itself. Allowing your gut to rest for at least 12 hours overnight helps it complete essential tasks, ensuring it's ready to efficiently process food the next day.
So let's think about adding in nourishing foods rather than restriction.
If you normally have cereal then try adding some nuts, seeds, fruit and natural yogurt.
That's four additions which will add fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals and keep you feeling fuller for longer even if your usual cereal has a high sugar content and refined carbohydrates. It's about making small achievable changes that you can start now.
If you can't face breakfast in the morning, but can stomach something mid morning; grab a small sealed container that you can take with you and add some natural yogurt, fresh fruit (i.e. frozen blueberries and raspberries are ideal as it keeps it cool), nuts, seeds and a sprinkling of some healthy granola (just make sure it's not loaded with sugar). The fruit will give you natural sugars.
When you start to feel peckish it's there ready for you to eat and is nourishing and nutritious and will keep you satisfied until lunchtime.
If you like toast, try a wholemeal variety rather than white as it has more fibre. Try and incorporate some type of protein at each meal. So, instead of sugary jam or marmalade try smashed avocado with a splash of sesame oil and mild chilli powder or some peanut butter with a small amount of jam.
Be more mindful of using fresh and unprocessed foods rather than ultra processed breakfast bars or sugar loaded fruit yogurts.
Before buying pre-packaged foods, just take a moment to look at the number of ingredients that are in it, this will give you a good idea as to whether it is ultra processed or not and how much sugar it contains.
Adults should be looking at no more than 7 tsps of sugar per day. Becoming more sugar aware when you go shopping will help you keep an eye on the amount of sugar you are consuming and where it is coming from.
Remember - 4 grams of sugar equates to 1 tsp.
Lunch Time Options
Do you normally buy your lunches each day rather than bring something in from home? This can work out very expensive when you start to add it all up!
If you buy your lunch, take a look at the ingredients, is it full of wholesome ingredients that you recognise or does it have many items that couldn't be found in a standard kitchen?
Could you manage to take one homemade lunch in, once a week, as a starting point for a healthier option?
Think about the foods you usually buy for lunch. Could you make a similar version at home the night before if you planned for it? Google 'quick lunch recipes' that incorporate the foods you would like and find one that suits you and that you feel you could easily make.
Starting small is the best way to go as it's manageable. It's impossible to change everything overnight. Just pick one thing and start from there.
One healthy change is better than no change.
Midday Meal Inspirations
Fruit, veg and cheese bowl - slice some carrot, peppers or cucumber sticks so they are ready to dip into some hummus of your liking. Have with fruit of your choice i.e. grapes, orange segments, apple and some slices of cheese as an accompaniment. Serve with some wholewheat seeded crackers.
A lot of these ingredients are raw, so they are full of essential fibre which will keep you feeling fuller for longer, as it takes the body longer to break them down.
Or, try making a batch of homemade soup and add a tin of mixed beans and blend. This will add much needed fibre and protein as well as additional flavour. Serve with a good quality wholegrain bread. Again, Google a recipe to find a soup that has ingredients that you like. Perfect for those winter days, plus there is leftovers which you can pop in the freezer for a day you're short on time.
Deliciously Simple Dinner Options
Try and think of something to make that is incorporating healthier options but not dramatically different that it makes it seem difficult or impossible to make.
A chicken stir fry is a good option as you are introducing fresh produce with the chicken and stir fry vegetables but you might buy a ready made stir fry sauce to go with it i.e. sweet chilli or teriyaki.
It doesn't matter.
The simple fact is, you have already made some great new additions to your diet by adding a variety of fresh vegetables. You can even buy stir fry vegetables already prepared for you which makes it even easier.
Remember, we are looking for small changes to start with. Going from something you might have purchased that is completely done for you, apart from heating it up, to a meal that has been freshly made with some wholesome and fresh ingredients in it.
A fish option could be salmon fillets with roasted vegetables. You could buy two fresh salmon fillets and an assortment of vegetables that you can cook in the oven in one roasting tin. Suitable vegetables are different coloured peppers, courgettes, red or white onion, garlic cloves, baby sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes.
Chop all the vegetables to a similar size so they cook evenly. Splash on some extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper and stir. If you like herbs and spices you can add some of those too.
Put the vegetables in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, then add the two salmon fillets on top. Coat the fillets with a drizzle of olive oil and seasoning of your choice. Cajun spices add a nice little kick to the salmon or just salt and pepper.
Return to the oven for about 12 minutes until the salmon is cooked through.
This should make you two portions. You could have it hot one day and cold for lunch over the next couple of days.
You have the power to transform your meals with just a few simple changes!
Try enhancing your favourite dishes by adding more whole, natural ingredients, or get adventurous and create something entirely from scratch using the foods you already love.
Small shifts in your eating habits can make a big difference, and you might be surprised at how delicious and satisfying healthier choices can be.
And there you have it – the foundation for kick starting healthier choices!
Gradually incorporate more wholefoods into your diet, you’ll fuel your body with the nutrients it truly needs.
Next time you pick up a packaged product, take a moment to glance at the ingredients – less is more when it comes to healthy choices.
Remember, the secret to great gut, mental, and physical health lies in a colourful variety of fruits, veggies, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices.
So, start small, get creative and watch your well-being thrive, one wholesome bite at a time!
September 2024
Comments