Thursday, March 28, 2024

15 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Eating Healthy

Switch Your Wheat Bread

healthy wheat bread
msphotographic

Sprouted grain bread is rich in fiber, fresher and uses less processed ingredients than shelf-stable wheat bread. Products made with sprouted grain flour are thought to be kinder to the beneficial bacteria living in your intestinal tract. It also contains fewer carbohydrates than regular bread. Since it does not contain preservatives, you need to keep this bread in the freezer. Just defrost a few slices for your daily needs. Makes great crunchy toast.

Heat Up Your Greens

heat up the greens healthy
vezzani_photography

Adding more leafy green vegetables is a good way to get the nutrients you need. However, eating salads every day can get boring.Here’s a way to get more greens. Slice up washed kale, chard, mustard greens or collard greens. Place slices at the bottom of a plate or bowl. You now have a leafy green nutrient-packed base for your piping hot soups, stews, casseroles, brown rice side dishes or chili over the greens. Hot food flash-cooks the greens so they taste better mixed with the other food and yet still keep their nutrients.

Swap Sweet Potatoes for White Potatoes

swap sweet potatoes for white potatoes healthy
Brent_hofacker

Looking to cut down on sugars and carbs, but also love potatoes? Unfortunately, white potatoes are loaded with carbs and complex sugars, which is why doctors tell diabetics to steer clear of them. Just eat sweet potatoes instead. Bake them in the microwave like a white potato. Cut them up and make fries. If you’re too busy to make fries, check your grocer’s freezer for frozen sweet potato fries. Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber like white potatoes but also have more Vitamin A, Vitamin C and fewer calories and carbohydrates than white potatoes, notes the Cleveland Clinic.

Swap Brown Rice for White Rice

swap white rice for brown rice healthy
donot6_studio

Love your rice? Just use brown rice instead of white rice. Yes, it does taste different from converted white rice, but it’s not much of a difference. First use it mixed in soups or a great base for stir-fries, curries and chilis as you get used to the nuttier taste and the different texture. It helps fill you up, get the fiber you need without all of the empty calories white rice has. Brown rice contains more vitamin B1 and B6, more iron, phosphorous and manganese than white rice.

Snack on a Veggie Tray From Your Grocery Store

vegetable tray healthy
Elena Elisseeva

You could save money by buying your favorite vegetables, washing, chopping and storing them in snack-size jars, plastic food containers or baggies, but it’s so much easier to just get a prepared veggie and dip tray from your local grocery store. Also check the chopped vegetables near the refrigerated salad dressings. Containers like chopped celery sticks and carrot sticks make great crunchy snacks in between meals.

Hide Junk Foods

hide junk food healthy
voyagerix

Out of sight, out of mind is a good way to trick your mind into making healthier snack choices. Place junk food or rich desserts in containers you cannot see through and push them to the back of the refrigerator, freezer or cabinet.

Showcase Healthy Foods

showcase healthy food
Africa_studio

Keep healthier foods out in plain sight instead. Keep them at the front of wherever you store food. Place them in see-through containers. When they are easier to see, they are easier to grab for snacking.

Drink A Glass of Water In Between Other Beverages

drink water in between other beverages healthy
gosphotodesign

It does not matter what size cup you use, just as long as you get into the habit of drinking water before or after you drink any other kind of beverage. It will help keep you full, keep you hydrated (especially if you love dehydrating drinks like caffeinated or alcoholic beverages) and helps rinse some icky food particles off of your teeth. It’s easier to start this trick in hot weather when your body is craving water over other kinds of beverages.

Eat Plain Nuts Instead of Fancy Nuts

healthy eat plain nuts instead of fancy nuts
lldi_papp

There are a lot of nuts out there — in the snack aisle. They’re covered in all sorts of crazy coatings and salt. Skip them and just eat nuts sold as “roasted” (NOT honey roasted!) or “natural.”

Gradually Cut Back On Sugar in Your Drinks

cut back on sugar in drinks
marekuliasz

Love sugar in your coffee or tea? All those calories add up. Start cutting back a little at a time. Do you take two heaping teaspoons of sugar? Try using two level teaspoons instead for a week, then one and three-quarters of a teaspoon for another week and so on.

Eat 30 Grams of Protein for Breakfast

eat 30 grams of protein for breakfast healthy
stepenak_photography

A protein-rich breakfast about 30 grams helps keeps you full and digests slowly, releasing energy throughout the day. Try eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, peanut butter sandwiches or protein enhanced breakfast cereals instead of a greasy fry up, though.

Turn Off the Music

turn off the music healthy
pressmaster

You know what happens when you eat while listening to fast music? You eat faster. Eat slower and you will wind up eating less. Turn off the music, computers or TV if you have to.

Make Plates Different Color Than Food

make plates different color than the food
wiktory

Cornell University reports that people who eat food off of plates that are a different color than the food served themselves less food than people who had plates that were a similar color as their food.

Use Smaller Plates and Bowls

make smaller plates and bowls healthy
golubovy

It may be the same portion size of food, but your brain thinks you are eating more if you use smaller plates and bowls. Just do not go back for seconds or thirds.

Eat Smaller Sizes of Candy

eat smaller size of candy healthy
keith_horman

Eating fun size or mini sized candy instead of full size bars helps you indulge in the candy you want but not so much of it. Treat yourself sensibly.