New Year, New You: Diet

The number one resolution in the United States every year is to lose weight.  It happens over and over, people resolve to get to the gym, to eat better, to take the dog on more walks – all in an effort to lose weight.

Whether it is an intentional resolution or not, it’s never a bad idea to start the year being mindful of your health.  Diet is oftentimes the easier way to go versus exercise (although the truth is that exercise is always healthy).  Moving more and eating less will result in weight change.

But what are some simple ways to change the diet without racking up a huge grocery bill or completely changing the way you eat?  There are five quick ways to introduce health into your existing dietary habits.

• Trade one cup of coffee or soda per day for water. Not only will the caffeine intake be reduced, but consuming more water can help flush out the bad habits as well as the buildup of toxins.
• Trade the white bread for whole wheat bread. The sandwich is just as easy to make in the morning but adding fiber to your diet helps regulate the entire digestive system.
• Trade the margarine for butter or olive oil. The fewer chemicals the better.  And olive oil has even been shown to lower cholesterol.
• Add in healthy fats. That’s right, add fat.  They will fill you up with healthy nutrients and can reduce your intake of unhealthy choices.  Try avocado, eggs, nuts, and salmon.
• Add a vegetable anywhere you can. It does not have to be a huge bowl of salad.  Add torn spinach to spaghetti sauce, a handful of sprouts on a sandwich, or even salsa on that baked potato.