IT ISN'T AS HARD AS YOU THINK

No matter how hard some people try, managing to eat well simply eludes them.  Frustrated, they resort to old eating habits in a bid to forget their failure to develophealthy eating habits.  Perhaps too many "rabbit food diets" have turned the love of good, fresh foods off in favor of calorie laden fast foods. 

Take heart.  With the current shift to foods that are good for you, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is easier than ever.  By making a few simple changes on the shopping list and integrating more whole foods, a person can revamp their diet, lose weight, gain health and enjoy what they eat without a lot of empty calories.

A few simple changes

Let's take a look at what the inside of the cupboard and fridge could look like, if the contents were chosen with a healthy diet and lifestyle in mind.

Get rid of the "white".  While white is a great color for summer, foods of that color usually carry empty calories.  White sugar, white bread, white rice, salt...these are some of the substances which contribute to unhealthy weight gains and poor diets.  Try cutting down on the sugar, reduce the amount of salt, and switch to whole grain breads and brown rice. 

Just say No - to junk food.  Have you ever noticed that certain snack foods can become addicting?  Just can't live without chips? Try hot-air popped corn instead.  And, if you absolutely must go through a drive-thru, choose one of the new healthy choices offered at almost all fast-food outlets.

Love those sweets? Grab a juicy piece of ripe fruit, which not only has a great hit of sugar, but is also loaded with vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Can't quench that thirst without a soda? Often all our bodies are really craving is water.  Before you go running for that can of pop, pour yourself a glass of cold water and put a squeeze of lemon in it. The sugar in soda just makes you thirstier, and most artificial sweeteners are not good for you.

Add a little spice to your life

Experiment with spices instead of using salt.  Try a new spice on a vegetable dish, be adventurous.  You may never go back to heavily salted and buttered vegetables again.  Enjoy the textures and flavours of fresh veggies every day, eat them raw or lightly steamed - you're body will benefit, you'll feel better and who knows, you might even like it!