3 Simple Changes to Better Your Diet

Image Credit: UBC Learning Commons

Big changes start with small steps in the right direction. The little changes that you might not think are important now will start a snowball effect. The effort will build up over time and you will soon be able to take those "harder" steps.

Replace an unhealthy snack with an unprocessed snack.

The key is to change unhealthy habits by replacing them with healthier ones rather than cutting things out. If you cut what you like out, it will create a negative connotation and result into a future binge.

Don't drink your calories. 

Many people don't think about how many calories they consume when they drink. It can be juice, coffee and of course the biggest issue for most, alcohol. Hundred of calories can add up in less than half an hour. Switch to water or tea (if you need the caffeine) and you'll save yourself a lot of those extra calories.

Change your mindset.

Thinking you can't have something is not the same as thinking you don't want to ruin your progress. When you give into a craving, you're thinking about the temporary satisfaction that will ensure. When you regret it later, you're going to think about how it affected your progress in eating clean. Fortunately, that little cheat will not have a big impact on your progress. But it is best to get your cravings under control, so the next time you cheat it's because you want to and not because you lacked the control to resist.

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Eating Before Bed?

Image Credit: Sam

Sleeping and eating are both vital components in maintaining proper physical and mental health. But when the two are combined, things can go terribly right or terribly wrong. 

People gaining weight because they ate prior to sleeping is a myth. The calories consumed and not burned off is what will result in weight gain. It does not matter when they actually ate.

While eating before bed is okay to do, there are foods one should not consume. Fats, fiber and protein should be avoided at all costs. Foods that have a high content of any of the three will have a negative impact on digestion and sleeping. They break down slowly thus causing discomfort in the stomach, which can lead to trouble falling asleep. The best way to avoid poor results is to eat a meal two to three hours beforehand or carefully choosing a light, healthy snack to have soon before bed. 

Some foods to avoid before bed are foods that are either fried, spicy or considered junk food due to the high level of sugar content. Another poor choice is red meat due to the fat and protein content. The fiber in oatmeal will also cause gas and digestion to slow. 

Eating before bed isn't a bad thing as long as it is the right kind of food.

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Walmart and Their Decline in Profits

Image Credit: Nicholas Eckhart

Things will only get worse before they get better. Walmart is still going downhill. At first, the holiday season did not go so hot for them as shoppers did not spend very much at their stores with increasing competition and prices. Competition continues to increase as they lose more and more customers. They still had to cut their prices after the holiday season in order to attract consumers. In addition, the bad weather has forced them to shut down many of their stores due to the result of poor sales. Very little shoppers wanted to go out to shop during the snowstorms. But who can blame them, right?

What hit them the hardest? What do they claim is the biggest factor in their major 21% decline in profits for the fourth quarter? Walmart says it's the cut in food stamps after the temporary increase. Consequently, it has made it difficult for their customers to spend at their stores. Walmart believes if they were to eliminate the impact of the reduction of food stamps, the numbers would have remained the same.

Reference: HuffingtonPost

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A Link Between Expensive Produce and High BMI?

Image Credit: Ryan Harvey

There is no denying that fruits and vegetables are becoming pricier nowadays. But could the high prices cause an impact on the body fat percentage of today's kids? 

According to recent research, there is a slight link between the cost of fresh produce and the body mass index (BMI) of kids. The cost of produce has increased dramatically. Between 1997 and 2003, prices have rose a total of seventeen percent. In addition, fruits and vegetables have become pricier in the last year due to the increase in gas prices. In order to pay for the transportation of produce, the cost had no choice but to rise. On the other hand, the cost of mass produced snacks has declined. As a result, consumers tend to opt for cheaper high calorie snacks than the costly produce to save money. Eating fast food is also another inexpensive option for these cash-strapped families. Fast food chains are not only dirt cheap but conveniently located. 

But in the end, is the cost of the later medical bills worth it? 

Image credit: Ryan Harvey at Flickr. No changes were made to the image and is used under the Creative Commons License. 

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Outlets Profit More Than the Average Customer is Led to Believe

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The price tags found in outlet stores make it difficult for customers to believe the business could possibly be making money. The truth of the matter is that they really are making a profit. Of course, they have to make or they wouldn't be in business. However, the real shocker is how great the cuts are in order to make profits possible.

How can the items afford to be less than the cost it is being sold for? 

The majority of the store's stock is not the same as the retail stock. They can differentiate in material, details and production quality. Usually the outlets' stock is made up of items made only for the outlets whether or not they openly state it. This can mislead the customer in believing the crazy price tags.

Why are they located so far out from the cities?

It was done so they were able to cut costs and prevent loss in sales at the main retail chains due to the outlets. They later found customers willingly spent more than they usually would due to the effort of traveling a great distant for a good sale.


If you're interested in reading more, view my article here.

Image Credit: rickpilot_2000 @Flickr
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