Top Tips on Eating Healthier

Feb 28, 2021, 10:21 AM by Tara Cuffe

Meals Made Easy: Top Tips on Eating Healthier

We all lead busy lives. In fact, from home office to home school, you could argue we’re all busier than ever these days! When you just don’t have enough hours in the day, it’s easy to lose track of your healthy eating plan.

Our top tips will show you how to eat healthy foods that will get you back on track without having to rely on juice cleanses or fad diets, so your new year can still be full of flavour!

Be the best version of you

Why aim for a new you if the original you is already fantastic?

We don’t believe in resolutions or fad diets that will be discarded in weeks. Instead, we believe in following sensible healthy eating guidelines and working towards realistic goals. This successful combination will help you get where you want to be, and what’s more, you’ll enjoy it along the way.

If you’re not quite sure how to eat healthy in a way that works for you, BodySlims can help. Our weight loss programmes are designed to guide you along the path to weight loss through an achievable mix of healthy eating and fitness, all with the support of the Body Slims community to keep you motivated.

Healthy Eating Tips

1. Beat the bloat

If you’ve had a period of unhealthy eating, it can feel as though you’ve gone back to square one, especially when you’ve gone a little overboard on unhealthy snacks or ready meals.

All is by no means lost, however. Getting on top of your weight loss journey plan once more just takes a little mindfulness and focus (and a list of tasty, healthy foods to eat) but in the meantime there are a few quick fixes for beating the bloat.

2. Avoid fizzy drinks

Carbonated drinks can quickly cause bloating and digestive discomfort. Cutting out anything fizzy, from soft drinks to sparkling water, can instantly help bring down that bloat and get your digestive system back on track.

On top of that, many carbonated drinks (soft drinks, we’re looking at you!) are packed to the brim with sugar and sweeteners, which are best consumed in small amounts in your healthy eating plan. With that, on to our next tip...

3. Up your water intake

Finally, drink plenty of water to reset your system and flush out any toxins. The benefits of consuming the recommended 2 litres of water a day (this can vary, it’s always best to check with your doctor) are endless, but most importantly for our healthy eating plan, it can help bring down that bloat and get everything working as it should in no time.

Our top tips for getting back on track with healthy eating

1. Set your day up right with a healthy start

Intentions are best set at the start of the day, so make the most of every morning to set up some healthy eating guidelines for the hours that follow.

2. Make a meal of it

When we’re busy, or we’re not feeling all that motivated to cook, it can be easy to rely on takeaways and ready meals, but the reality is they do much more harm than good, and are often packed to the brim with salt, fats and other undesirable ingredients.

The new year is a great time to shed this habit, and make a proper meal out of every breakfast, lunch and dinner. Set the table, invite the family to join you, and practice mindful eating.

You’ll not only appreciate your food more when you’re not distracted by the latest episode of your favorite show, your body is also more likely to realise it’s fuller sooner.

3. Choose healthier carbs

Reducing or avoiding carbohydrates altogether is a great tactic for some people when it comes to shifting any new weight gained, but we know restrictive diets don’t work for everyone. It’s also a simple fact that some amount of carbohydrates are good for us and are an important part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Instead of cutting them out, be mindful of the kinds of carbohydrates you’re consuming, and the nutritional value they give you. Avoid refined carbohydrates that are processed and higher in sugar content, and opt instead for whole carbohydrates that will provide an energy boost and keep you fuller for longer.

A few of our favourite whole carbohydrates to eat are:

Quinoa
Potatoes
Brown rice

4. Cook at home

Processed foods and ready meals can be filled with all sorts of hidden chemicals, salt and sugars - even those claiming to be healthier!

Although it takes a little more effort, cooking meals yourself from scratch ensures you’re getting the best, most natural ingredients and the right balance of nutrients.

Make a challenge of it: set yourself a goal of learning three new recipes per week, in between a few old favourites. Now, whilst we’re all in our homes, is the perfect time to build up your repertoire of healthy, home-cooked meals that will kit out your healthy eating plan for months to come!

5. Plan ahead

It might seem like the last thing you want to do on a Sunday afternoon, but preparing a few lunches and dinners for the week ahead can work wonders when it comes to healthy eating.

One-pot recipes or meals you can batch-cook in the oven or a slow cooker are fast and fuss-free to make, and having a few balanced, nutritious lunches and dinners in the fridge or freezer will ensure you stick to healthy eating guidelines on even the busiest days in the week!

Get the healthy eating balance right

If you’ve lost your way when it comes to healthy eating habits, then make your next couple of weeks all about nourishment. Both body and soul will benefit from eating meals that strike a perfect balance between delicious and nutritious, and it’ll kick start your healthy eating plan for the year ahead.

We recommend you get a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats in every meal, and load up on vegetables wherever possible; they’ll give your immune system a boost, too!

Our favourite way to start our healthy eating plan each day is with a balanced breakfast. Check out a few favourites below!

Healthy breakfast ideas

Start your day right with a balanced breakfast. A mix of protein, healthy fats, whole grain carbohydrates and some fruit or vegetables will get your metabolism moving and fill you with long-lasting energy.

Some of our favourite healthy foods to eat at breakfast are:

1. Avocado and eggs on toast

Opt for whole grain bread. Lightly toast and add sliced avocado and a poached egg (you can also boil the egg, let it cool and cut it in half). Top with a sprinkle of salt and chilli flakes.

2. Homemade granola with yoghurt

You can easily make granola at home yourself, and it’s often far healthier than shop-bought options.

To make your own granola:

Roughly chop up some nuts of your choice.
Combine in a bowl with rolled oats and spices of your choice (we like cinnamon).
Mix in half a cup of melted coconut oil, and half a cup of maple syrup.
Spread onto a lined baking tray and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for roughly 20 minutes, until golden.
Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Serve with low fat plain yoghurt and your favourite fruit.

3. A ‘healthy’ fry

Fried breakfast are delicious, but undoubtedly not ideal as part of a healthy eating plan. That doesn’t mean you have to forego rashers and sausages altogether, though; all you need is a few simple swaps to meet those healthy eating guidelines.

Swap streaky bacon for turkey bacon.
Swap sausages for veggie sausages (but watch out for those calories!)
Swap frying for grilling. It’ll help cut down on fats and oils!
Swap beans and toast for extra grilled mushrooms and tomatoes.

So there you have it, getting back on track with your healthy eating plan is not only easy, it’s as delicious as can be too!

If you need a little extra motivation, or simply a helping hand, why not check out our programmes? BodySlims is ready to guide you on your weight loss journey!