12 Clever Ways to Eat Healthier & Lose Weight (Without Giving Up Chocolate)
I could tell you to eliminate every drink but water and unsweetened coffee, all sugar, white bread, pasta, and anything that has been fried from your diet to eat healthier and lose weight.
But guess what? You know that already.
I could tell you that cooking at home will help you eat healthier and smaller portions. You know that too.
If you want to eat healthier and lose weight, your problem isn’t that you don’t know the difference between healthy and fattening food.
Do you know what the real problem is? Emotion, exhaustion, and execution are your enemies when it comes to eating healthier.
If you are anything like me, you have every intention of giving up sugar, until that plate of fresh strawberry shortcake with vanilla ice cream shows up.
My passion is wellness and health, and yet, I find myself in McDonald’s from time to time. Yes, I know the food is unhealthy.
Sometimes mamas, even ones that generally serve heaps of organic produce, whole grains, and sugar-free cakes end up eating at a fast food restaurant because we get tired, or it is the only option in miles, or your kids beg you until you can no longer say no.
So stop getting down on yourself about the once in a while, and start focusing on your everyday rules, habits, and go-tos.
The following list will help you prepare for how you will eat when negative emotion, exhaustion, or a lack of willpower keep you from eating colorful meals that nourish your body and soul.
Rule Number 1: Three raw veggies before every lunch and dinner
If you are only going to take away one tip from this article to eat healthier and lose weight, it’s this: eat three different veggies before every lunch and dinner. There is a catch, which is that salad does not count.
The veggies need to be something you can cut to count. So prepare some carrot sticks, slice some tomatoes, red peppers, or cucumbers, prepare a bowl of red beet salad, eat some shredded cabbage, or add sliced zucchini to your group of three.
Prepare for exhaustion and lack of willpower the first four weeks by always preparing the raw veggies the night before, or every morning.
Once you get in the groove of always eating your raw veggies before a meal, you can prepare them as you cook lunch or dinner.
Adding more fiber to your diet will eventually result in a flatter tummy and better digestion.
It’s important to get everyone in your family to follow the new rules. This can be a challenge if they don’t think they like raw veggies. So employ tactic number two.
Make Lunch Your Biggest Meal of the Day
Take a lesson from the traditional European culture and make lunch the most substantial meal of your day. This will fill you up and provide your body with energy when you need it most.
Nourishing your body with veggies, whole grains, fruit, and lean proteins will keep you from reaching for sugary, fatty, or salty snacks in the afternoon.
Eating dinner at lunch will also give your body time to digest, so you don’t go to bed with a full stomach. You may fall asleep faster and get higher quality sleep if you make the switch to eating your most substantial meal in the middle of the day as well. Give it a try.
Drink a Half Liter of Water With a Squeezed Lemon
Drink a half liter of water with the juice of one squeezed lemon first thing in the morning. Starting the day dehydrated can make you feel more fatigued and hungry then you are.
The lemon water will also be giving you a fresh kick of vitamin C, which is much more potent and powerful when squeezed right before drinking. The lemon juice will stimulate your digestion system, help with skin repair, and may strengthen your immune system.
Rule #2 Eat Raw Veggies & Fruit While Watching TV (First)
Who doesn’t like to curl up and watch their favorite entertainment program with some snacks? Trying to refrain from snacking while watching TV or a movie can drain your willpower and prove impossible if you’ve had a bad day. So don’t fight this desire. Instead, make rule number two for yourself:
You can only eat your favorite unhealthy snack, be it chips, ice cream, pretzels or chocolate, once you have eaten an apple and a few slices of cucumbers or carrots.
Now if you are having a difficult time getting your kids to eat their veggies, then hand them a bowl full while they are enjoying their screen time. Don’t be surprised if they disappear.
Apples, carrots, cucumbers, and peppers all give a satisfying crunch while you eat them. Veggies and fruit are not only nutrient dense, but they are also high in fiber.
Eating fiber before your favorite indulgence will fill you up and keep you for reaching for a second bowl of chips or ice cream.
You may get to the point where you only need to snack on apple and cucumber slices and skip the unhealthy dose of ice cream all together.
Give Yourself an Escape Plan