Clean up your kitchen! One product at a time and trust me, in the long run you’ll notice the difference.
How do you clean up your kitchen?
Find the more natural or healthy alternative and make that part of your new weekly shopping list.
“But healthier groceries are more expensive!”
Its worth it. It may seem like more at first but if it means enough to you, you’ll make it work. Like anything you see beneficial, you’ll adjust and just make it apart of your lifestyle.
Not to mention (and this is just my humble point of view), screw the companies who think its okay to feed people junk instead of the real deal so they can make a profit anyway!
If you can find a product that’s the same as what you’re already eating but just so happens to be healthy and/or less calories, why not make the switch?
Opt for natural peanut butter over pb with sugar, oil or other unnecessary ingredients.
Opt for popcorn kernels and make it yourself instead of buying pre-seasoned or buttered packs. My favourite way to cook popcorn is with coconut oil and pink salt mmm…
Use maple syrup instead of maple flavoured syrup.
Raw honey over pure or blossom mixed.
REAL butter – with no more than dairy from a cow and bit of salt and water. None of this oil or sugar or random numbers business.
Sourdough over white bread.
Stevia or honey in your coffee as apposed to sugar.
Peanuts without vegetable oil.
Eat fruit when you crave sweets – actually the sweetest of fruits like berries and peaches have the least amount of sugar content! Or try dried fruits, yogurt, granola, etc.
Dark chocolate – believe me, I used to hate dark choc and thought it was bitter. Slowly increasing the darkness, and having less sugar, your taste buds crave less sugar and other things taste sweeter. Its amazing, I cook with 99% dark choc and can eat 85% dark choc on its own and its sweet enough for me. (I know I sound like a freak to many, because I used to stank face at the thought of someone eating dark choc too but i’ll eat milk chocolate and dark chocolate and anything in between… because food is food and i don’t discriminate!!)
Calorie intake?
I’m all about the “put out what you put in” method and will alway be an advocate for exercising and a healthy lifestyle,. But the point being is if you love food and want to eat an exorbitant amount (like i do), there are ways to trick the calorie system. Yes you could just eat the pack of chips, a donut and ice cream because you feel like it and just make sure you dont go over your calorie intake for the day. Of course! But guess what – if you’re not doing an excessive amount of physical activity that day, the amount of calories that sugar and oil and other heavy carbs take up far more than a healthier alternative. I always like to say “i’d rather eat my calories than drink them”, because I love love food… But I also love coffee and unfortunately an ice cold beer. Its the difference between a 150calorie full cream coffee and a 15 calorie almond milk one. A beer and an old fashioned. A 300 calorie pack of chips vs 90 calories of homemade popcorn. Yes a lot of healthy food is high in calories too, usually good fats and proteins. But you’re also need to get your nutrients in at some point. So I guess it comes down to what you prioritise more! Health or satisfaction or aesthetics or all of the above. This way of looking at your diet is a way where you can have a win-win outcome without the feeling of sacrifice. Besides, if you care about yourself and care about your body then you should want whats best for it. When you’re old and running in circles around the other oldies, you’ll be thanking your past self for it!
These are just some examples. Don’t get me wrong, I love food and I love to indulge! But because of that, why not give your poor inflamed cells a break from fighting excessive sugar, oil and salt levels, and save it for occasions like that. “Everything in moderation” right? But how can you have a balanced diet if you’re not taking care of the most important part of your diet – your every day intake. When you eat out or go to a friends place or buy your favourite snack, you have zero control over what you’re getting. And that’s okay, its indulging and it shouldn’t matter. But for the most part, you want to give your body the best fuel it can get. BALANCEEEEE.
Your diet affects your mood, your mental and physical health, as well as cognitive function and immunity. I’ve said it all before, we are nature and we forget we are nature. It makes sense that when we put unnatural things inside us, it causes and negative reaction. Respect your body and take care of the one and only vessel you take to your grave. This is what you get, so learn to love and nurture it. Plus, one of the great gifts of nature is when you look after yourself and feel good about yourself, it emulates and people can sense/see it too. One of the major steps to self love is taking care of your physical form. Ergo taking care of your mental, emotional and spiritual yadda yadda yadda…
Like the title suggests, if you just change up what you’re already consuming, it won’t feel like you’re on a diet and that will be enough to make an impact. Don’t not eat when you’re out with your friends, don’t not buy snacks at the cinema or say no when your cousin wants to make you some food. Do most of the clean eating when you’re on your own or at home. So when you do have those special occasions, you don’t have to miss out or feel guilty about your choices. You’re never ever going to be perfect and you shouldn’t be because wheres the fun in that anyway. Just so long as you are cautious of it, then at least you’re putting reason behind your decisions instead of just mindlessly reacting!
Like always, I don’t know why I care so much. People are always going to do whatever they want and even if I want whats best for my friends, family and complete strangers, you’re gonna do what you’re gonna do. I will continue to unwillingly care, share my opinions and hope for the best.
Peace out