Struggling To Eat Healthy?
Struggling to Eat Healthy?
Sometimes the hardest part of making a positive change is getting started. Nothing rings truer than when it comes to changing the way you eat. I was so scared to do it. I guess deep down I didn’t think I could do it. It seemed easier to try a “diet”. That way if I quit it was because that diet doesn’t really work. But failing at so many did not help with my confidence level. When my son was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and I learned about how inflammatory most of our food is and I was determined to do better. Now it wasn’t just about looking better in a pair of jeans. I wanted my son to feel better. What I didn’t realize at the time was that our whole family would start to feel better (and we didn’t know we felt bad).
My experience was full of trial and error. I wasn’t sure how to do it. Basically I just started looking for recipes and then buying the ingredients. While this initially caused a lot of frustration I figured it out. Many of the ingredients I had never heard of, had no clue where to find them in the grocery store, and more often than not my Publix didn’t carry them. The good news is that this was six years ago and now, most of these items are in every grocery store. Back then, every week, I would hit Publix, my local health food store, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. It was exhausting but necessary. My goal is to make this process much easier for you.
Foods You Should Never Eat
Step one is definitely a good pantry and refrigerator purge. Some people like to dive right in and do it all at once, while others prefer to go a little slower. Both are great. Do what works for you. Regardless of which method you choose, there are some things no kitchens should have. Everyone should throw away all industrialized seed oils. These include vegetable, canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean, corn, margarines and almost any spread. Next look at your condiments and salad dressings. Toss them if you see any of those inflammatory oils in the ingredients. Sadly almost all of them will but don’t worry, there are plenty of better delicious alternatives that you can replace them with. That wasn’t so true 6 years ago, I actually learned how to make my own mayonnaise but thankfully you don’t have to do that anymore if you don’t want to.
Next, throw away anything low fat. This includes ice cream, milk, yogurt, cottage and cream cheese and anything else that has low fat on the label. This was hard for me as I for years thought you should always choose low fat. Low fat normally means the fat is replaced with a lot of sugar and it doesn’t bring you satiety. In fact the sugar just triggers more hunger and cravings so you end up eating more. It can easily lead to inflammation and weight gain. Get rid of it and replace it with full fat items. If that is all you do for right now that is great! It is a step in the right direction. Eliminating those items from your diet will get you on the right track to healthier eating and feeling better.
How To Reduce Sugar Cravings
Get the sugar out of your house and stop eating it. You will find sugar is in everything and there are well over 55 different names for sugar. Read your labels carefully and start tossing. Look at cereals, breads, cookies, crackers, granola, pancakes, drinks and really anything that comes in a package. Don’t forget to check your spices and rubs. Hopefully you already tossed your sugar filled salad dressings and other condiments as they also had harmful oils in them. You may be on your second trash bag by now.
Throwing out all the sugar is hard. I get it. And your first week without eating it will also be hard. You may experience headaches, mood changes and generally not feeling well as your body detoxes from all the sugar it is used to consuming. It will pass, and when it does you will feel great so keep reminding yourself that it will be worth it and stick it out. Make sure you stay well hydrated and eat plenty of vegetables, high quality proteins and fats. You can do this!
What Should You Keep In Your Pantry?
When I started out on this new healthy eating lifestyle I would have loved a list of what items I should always have in my pantry. This sets you up to be successful when preparing foods. First, replace all those industrialized seed oils with healthy oils. Cook your foods in avocado or coconut oil, grass fed butter or ghee. Make some salad dressing with olive oil. Don’t want to make your own? There are plenty of great brands that make dressings without those oils. My favorite healthy and clean brands are Primal Kitchen and The New Primal Noble Made. Tesemmae also has some good options but check the label first. Grab some mayo, ketchup, barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce and some salad dressings. I would also grab a bottle of coconut aminos to use in place of soy sauce.
Buy some delicious dark chocolate to have on hand when you want to enjoy something sweet. Look for brands with clean ingredients like Hu, Alter Eco or Theo. Pick up some natural nut butter (I like peanut and almond butter). Check labels to make sure there aren’t any of the oils you just ditched lurking in there! I always have some macadamia nuts, almonds and walnuts in my pantry. Chomp or Epic brand beef sticks are also a staple and are helpful when you are looking to eat something quick or on the go.
You can also find some great options for healthier crackers and cookies. I like Simple Mills and Hu, but my favorite company is Siete. Siete items are gluten free, dairy free and use avocado oil. I love their potato chips and shortbread cookies. They are the perfect source for your Taco Tuesdays as they make tortilla chips, shells and wraps, taco seasoning, hot sauces, queso, enchilada sauce, beans and even churro strips for dessert. You can make a plate of nachos, some quesadillas, burritos or plain old tacos. I used to have to go to Whole Foods to find their products but now they seem to be popping up everywhere.
Fridge Staples For Healthy Eating
Next, fill your refrigerator with lots of fresh, organic vegetables and fruits in an array of colors. Spend some time chopping them so they are ready to be eaten. Buy some pasture raised eggs and keep some hard boiled ones on hand for when you are hungry or on the go. Buy some good quality meats and fish. You will find most deli type meats are filled with harmful ingredients you don’t want to eat. Check out Applegate for some great replacements. I buy their oven roasted turkey, no sugar uncured bacon, pepperoni and even hot dogs.
Replace those sugary sodas and juices with seltzer water. I like the brand Spindrift as they are sweetened with fruit and don’t have any natural or artificial flavors added but there are other options as well. Learn to read labels. Buy unsweetened almond milk or other nut milk. Malk and Elmhurst are both good brands with no added gums or emulsifiers. If you enjoy creamer in your coffee try Nut Pods. It is non dairy with no added sugar and comes in a variety of flavors. I use their unflavored creamer to replace heavy cream in recipes such as broccoli cheddar soup and it works great.
Switch out your condiments and salad dressings as we discussed above.
Three Small Kitchen Appliances That Make Eating Healthy Easier
I never used to cook and didn’t enjoy cooking. I still don’t love it but it doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming. Once I was faced with needing to do it I found three small appliances made it a lot easier. Like most people, I already owned a slow cooker but I actually started using it. In the morning throw some chicken in it and cover it with salsa or buffalo sauce and by dinner you have delicious shredded chicken. You can make quesadillas with it, add it to salads or even top a sweet potato with it. Make some meatballs and let them simmer in Raos marinara sauce for a few hours. In the evening saute some zucchini noodles and you have a delicious, satisfying meal. I purchased an Instant Pot which I was a litte scared of at the beginning but now I love it. I easily make great soups, stews and pot roasts. My third favorite small appliance is my air fryer. It is a great way to cook almost any vegetable as well as salmon and chicken fingers. It is quick and easy. I bought all three of my kids an air fryer when they went to college to encourage healthy eating and all three use it often.
Cost of Eating Healthy vs. Unhealthy
I often hear people say it is too expensive to eat healthy and they can’t afford it. I know replacing everything at one time can be expensive and not possible for everyone. If it isn’t in your budget then do it gradually. If you can’t afford everything grass fed, pasture raised and organic just try to make sure they aren’t given antibiotics or hormones, do what you can. Stock up on your condiments and salad dressings when they are on sale. Look for items at Walmart and Target as they seem to have better prices. Trader Joe’s is another good spot to buy oils and nut butters at a good price. Make positive replacements where you are able as even small changes will help. Get in the habit of knowing what you are buying and putting in your body, be informed.
Once you get your kitchen restocked with healthier items you may be surprised that it isn’t more expensive to eat healthier. While you may be spending more money on each item you will find you are buying less. You aren’t constantly snacking and eating all day so you aren’t buying as much food. You will be feeling better so most likely spending less on over the counter remedies and other health care related items. I don’t eat out as much and I have drastically reduced my carry out orders as I don’t feel great after eating it. I found that cooking wasn’t as hard or time consuming as I had told myself it was so I prefer just making my own meals using real foods. It is simple to do and not eating out so much saves a lot of money.
How To Get Healthy Fast?
Just get started! If you can’t financially do a complete pantry purge now start with small changes. My friends and I would always joke that the diet starts Monday as we ate and drank way too much. Ditch that diet mentality and start making changes towards a healthier lifestyle. Remember, you can dive right in or just start by dipping your toe in. Either way you are headed in a positive direction. Need some words of encouragement, or someone to help hold you accountable while you get started on your new journey? I am here and happy to help!
