Eating Healthy

Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 October 2010 11:22 Written by Professor's House Wednesday, 06 October 2010 11:15

Does eating healthy have to be a chore? No way! Nor does it have to be boring and lack flavorful. In fact, once the palate becomes accustomed to less salt and fat in the diet, the variety of natural flavors in whole foods becomes addicting.

The challenge is where to begin making changes that will positively affect your health that will not negatively impact your schedule, pocketbook or lifestyle.

• Do you have a long commute to work and tend pop into a drive-thru for breakfast on the way? What about taking a granola bar or, even better, a nutritionally balanced and complete meal replacement bar with an apple or banana instead? It is an easy switch and one that start your day off on the right foot.
• Coffee – how much do you drink? Can you slowly cut you intake down over time?
• Small things such as bringing a salad for lunch instead of potato chips or cookies will make a big difference and can be just as quick to throw together considering the pre-made salads available at most groceries stores. But a big bag that can be split into a week’s worth of lunches and the cost is nominal while the health benefits are substantial. And always choose the salad with the darkest green leaves such as spinach or a garden blend as these greens carry considerably more nutrients then pale leaves such as iceberg lettuce or hearts of Romaine.
• Snacks can be difficult at work. Usually we do not reach for a between meal snack until we are famished and then it is whatever is quickest and easiest. Keep a bag of pre-washed baby carrots on your desk or maybe some trail mix and snack before the light comes on for your internal gas gauge.

In our busy lives, dinner is probably the most difficult of all meals to prepare with healthy choices in mind. For those of us that live alone, cooking for one person seems pointless and those that have busy families rarely have the time to put the time and thought into what they are preparing. Plus, the bigger the family, the more likes and dislikes that must be taken into consideration.