Deciding to eat a healthy diet does not have to be expensive or boring. Whatever your motivation, to lose weight, save money, or to see if you can do it, bravo for trying. Clear out all the junk food from your home, office and car including processed foods high in refined white sugar, flour, salt and saturated fat. Reducing your consumption of these foods alone will help trim your waistline and food bill. It might be helpful to recruit a buddy to do this even if it means making a dangerous bet as to who will give up (or not) first. You may surprise each other with making it a way of life.
Eat a Whole Foods Diet
Step 1
Shop for whole vegetables, fruits, whole grains, non-saturated fats, low- or non-fat dairy foods, legumes, eggs and unsalted nuts. Check out your local farmer's market for organic produce or the grocery store you normally shop. Eating whole foods will provide you with vitamins, minerals and fiber that comprise a healthy diet as described in the nutrition matrix, My Food Pyramid, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Buy fresh produce over canned, frozen over canned and avoid processed foods. For example, buy plain oatmeal instead of sugary, processed breakfast cereal.
Step 2
Bake, broil, grill, steam, toast or dry roast meats and other foods to keep your saturated fat intake low. The USDA recommends eating no more than 10 percent of total daily fat from saturated fat to reduce risk for developing heart disease. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature: pork, beef, poultry, milk and coconut fat are examples. Skim these off when you make chicken soup, or trim as much of the visible fat from pork chops before preparing, for example. Also, avoid frying foods as that creates trans fats that can clog arteries. Instead, bake potatoes and grill chicken.
Step 3
Eat vegetables and fruits whole whenever possible or juice them with a juicer. You can combine fruits and vegetables to make breakfast drinks or for snacks. For example, juicing carrots with apples, lemon and ginger root is a popular drink to boost betacarotene intake. Be sure to still eat whole vegetables and fruits for the fiber--that is what will help keep you regular.
Step 4
Experiment by making healthy versions of your favorite foods. Consider making a whole wheat pizza crust and top it with stewed tomatoes, spinach leaves, feta cheese and slices of green pepper. Drizzle heart-healthy olive oil on the pizza after it is baked. Replace butter with olive, canola, safflower or corn oil in any recipe. This is appropriate for cookies, muffins, waffles, pancakes, breads, pie crusts and even brownies.
Things You'll Need
- Whole vegetables
- Whole fruits
- Whole grains: oats, brown rice, millet, quinoa
- Lean proteins: poultry, beef, fish
- Legumes
- Low- to non-fat dairy foods
- Non-saturated fats: olive, flax seed, canola, hemp seed oils
- Steamer
- Juicer
- Water filter
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