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.

No changes were made to the image and is used under the Creative Commons License. 

Read more ...

Water is Not Optional in Our Diets

We all know that water is important to our bodies.  The more water we drink, the healthier we can be.  We know that water is good for us because is it all natural and doesn't  put anything back into our bodies that we wish wasn't there, in fact, it helps clean out our bodies.
Water also helps to keep our bodies temperature steady and helps move oxygen around making sure to reach all the cells.  It also protects your joints and organs, this I never knew.  I have a few joint problems and am glad to know this.
With just the food we eat, our bodies receive about 20 percent of the water needed.  The rest is up to us to make sure we drink enough to keep our bodies in working order.  There is a simply way to make sure you are getting enough, simply take your weight (in pounds) and divide this number in half, giving you the approximate number of ounces you should drink daily.  Example:  If you weigh 200 lbs, you should be drinking 100 ounces of water a day.
Water is also good for your skin.  It will help to keep it from drying out.  I know how irritating dry skin can be.  It is flakey and itches all the time.
If you drink alot of caffeine then you need to double that amount with water to make sure your body doesn't get dehydrated.  This statement applies to me in  many ways,  I need to either cut back or drink more water.  Probably both.
I have plenty of reasons to start drinking more water, what about you?

Read more ...