How to Eat Healthier Every Single Day

If we all knew how to eat healthier, we’d all be doing it, right? The truth is, eating healthy is both easy and complicated. It’s complicated, because food marketers and fad diets confuse public perception about what’s healthy and what’s not. A prime example of that is the low-fat food trend of the 90s versus the even trendier high-fat keto diet today. But eating a healthy diet can truly be simple. There are a few totally manageable principles that have stood the test of time. Follow these Nutritious Life-approved guidelines, and you’ll eat healthier every single day. Promise. Here are six ways to eat healthier every day, from a nutritionist’s point of view. Eat more vegetables You may not need studies to tell you that vegetables are healthy, but just in case you’re not convinced: Research shows that eating seven or more servings of vegetables a day significantly reduces your risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Yep, that’s right, vegetables can save your life. Veggies are loaded with disease- and age- fighting antioxidants and fiber, which promotes gut health and helps keep you full. They also have high water volume, which aids in hydration and keeps you feeling full long after you showed that zucchini the way to your belly. Drink water Speaking of water, hydration affects everything from the glow of your skin to the energy you bring to your workout. And yes, you should aim for eight glasses a day. Not drinking enough water could translate to overeating, headaches and low energy. Forget ‘cheat days’ Cheat days have a negative connotation, which is why I don’t support them and instead promote the idea of “conscious indulgence.” A conscious indulgence should be a portion-controlled, nutrient-dense option of what you’re craving, and eaten from a positive place, not hiding in shame because you’re a “cheater”. This is the whole philosophy behind Nutritious Life’s Eat Empowered pillar. RELATED: How Often You Should Have a Cheat Meal Cut sugar If you check ingredient labels, you’ll see that sugar sneaks into so many things: sauces, peanut butter, nut milks, crackers, yogurt. The the list is endless. You don’t need to freak out about small amounts of sugar, or those conscious indulgences I mentioned above. You do need to be aware of your overall sugar consumption since it’s easy to eat sugar mindlessly. You want to avoid that because excess sugar is linked to obesity, diabetes and possibly even cancer. RELATED: Is the Natural Sugar Found in Whole Foods Healthier Than Added Sugar? Choose whole foods Prioritizing whole foods over processed ones is a good way to accomplish all the other healthy-eating tips on this list. By eating whole foods, you’re automatically eating less added sugar and more fiber. You’re also limiting things like food coloring and artificial flavors. Mixing up your whole foods also ensures you’re consuming a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Cook more It’s not that you can’t find healthy restaurants. It’s that you have much less control over the ingredients when you dine out. So, while there’s no shame in eating out, cooking gives you more say in what goes into your meals. Plus, spending time in the kitchen can promote a fun, empowered relationship with eating—one that is based on experimenting with lots of nutritious foods that fill you up, body and soul.

3 Fast, Delicious & Healthy Lunch Ideas for You & Your Kids

Lunch ideas are one of the world’s most precious commodities. Ok, maybe that’s exaggerating. They’re only one of the world’s mom’s most precious commodities. It’s hard enough to figure out what you want for lunch and how you are going to eat healthy, never mind keeping up with your kids likes, jags, dislikes and gripes. The sight of their lunch boxes may make you cringe in the same way your email inbox does after a two week vacay. And your own brown bag? You’re lucky if it makes it out the door with you in the morning. For kids, lunch should be all smiles, rainbows and unicorns, but for the mom behind the meal, it can be a black cloud with no clearing in sight. I get it. I empathize. I make lunches all year, too, and it can get discouraging. But I can help. 3 Fast, Delicious & Healthy Lunch Ideas for You & Your Kids PB&J:  old school processed pb and sugary jelly smushed between white bread is kinda a nutrition nightmare. However, it can be transformed into a nutrition powerhouse before you can say JIFfy. This one will be the whole fam’s jam. Upgrade your nut butter (think almond butter, boutique nut butters, like Nutzzo or simply any natural pb) and spread the “P” on whole grain bread, Ezekiel bread, or high fiber crackers. While you’re at it, swap your sugar-filled jelly with freshly sliced strawberries (or you can have one of your nuggets mash ‘em for you), an all fruit spread or even dehydrated fruit for a little crunch. This modern way pulls out a bunch of the sugar and takes the nutrition up a notch with vitamin C and fiber. Fruit + Yogurt + Veggies: Who says you need meat to make a complete lunch box? This one, two, three and done lunch will take you less than minute (no joke) to prep. You’re welcome. A whole piece of fruit requires no assembly, packaging or cutting. Take your pick, apple, pear, banana (they’ll all give you antioxidants and fiber) and add it to a Chobani yogurt tube (your kids will thank you when they’re grown for not ignoring their protein and calcium consumption). Top the combo off with sweet mini peppers on the side (my kids pop these in their mouths like candy!). You can buy these antioxidant powerhouses in bulk and there is not one bit of cutting or slicing required. Satisfy your (yes, we’re lookin’ at you mom!) Mexican Craving: Chips, guac and enchiladas on your mind? I’ll save you the calories and the trip to the taqueria.  Chobani Greek Flip Sriracha Mango may just be your new partner to a margarita. This non-GMO yogurt has 12 grams of protein, no artificial sweeteners (woo hoo) and is exploding with flavor. But, you need something to replace that chip crunch, right? It’s got that too. It comes with Sriracha coated rice crisps and cashews – right there on the side! Make this a complete “meal” with protein, fiber, healthy fat and adequate calories by adding a handful of mixed nuts. Done and done. **this post was in partnership with Chobani**

How to Eat Healthy 5 Times a Day

How to eat healthy once a day is a no brainer. Find something green in a 24 hour period, and eat it. That’s it. Surely, you can do that, right? Well, not so fast. I’ve seen lots of clients that live on an un-healthy diet of carbs and white-ish things, with a side of burger. So telling them to simply “Just eat more vegetables!” (even once a day!) is pretty much a recipe for them never getting anywhere as far as a healthy diet goes. I mean, we’ve been told since we were kids to eat more vegetables. It just doesn’t work that easily. Most veggie-challenged people envision trying to choke down plain lettuce or a side of over-steamed broccoli, and they immediately race to a bowl spaghetti instead. But today is going to be different. I’m not going to tell you to “just eat more veggies”. I’m going to show you how to eat healthy veggies at every meal, and you might find it’s actually easy (and not as boring) as you once thought. If you need some nudging, research from the University of Liverpool in England reports eating 7 servings of fruits and veggies daily significantly lowers mortality, and death from cancer, heart disease and stroke. So, literally, veggies can save your life. My challenge to you is, no matter how many or few healthy foods you are already eating, to get one type of veggie in at every meal. Here’s how to eat healthy 5 times a day: Healthy Breakfast: 2 eggs with a giant handful of spinach, peppers and onions. Add a half of a small avocado instead of your usual cheese (avocado is more fat than fruit, but c’mon, we’re trying to improve your health, might as well swap cheese for a better fat!) and serve it up with a cup of berries. 2 servings Morning healthy snack: 12 almonds and zucchini chips (I know, you’re busy and don’t have time for a feast, but you need a little pick-me-up before lunchtime). 1 serving Healthy Lunch: Spinach salad loaded up with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, grilled salmon and a splash of lemon juice and olive oil. 2 – 3 servings Afternoon healthy snack: Tabbouleh prepared with parsley, tomatoes, onions, bulgur, olive oil and tablespoon of feta cheese on top (yes, you don’t have to make it yourself! You can buy it ready to go from the deli counter at the market). 1 serving Healthy Dinner: Roasted chicken with a small sweet potato, roasted cauliflower and a green salad. (If you love cauliflower, check out my recipe for Flank Steak and Mashed Cauliflower from Chef’d!) Need dessert? Me too. Grilled peaches with a spoonful of ricotta and a drizzle of honey. 3 servings See?! Not so difficult (nor boring), right? Use this sample day as the foundation for your week. Change up the produce for added variety. Swap peaches for pineapple, almonds for cashews, Tabbouleh for hummus and crudites, spinach salad for arugula, roasted chicken for salmon…the possibilities are endless. You don’t have to bother with measuring cups and scales,  I’m just looking for you to get MORE veggies and healthy foods in during the day! I like for my clients to eat 2 servings of greens a day. Leafy greens are packed full of nutrients with very few calories, and they take about 2 seconds to throw into a bowl and drizzle with balsamic when you’re pinched for time. As a reference, usually that salad you (hopefully) grab at lunch will have 2 – 3 servings in there. So there you have it. eating more veggies doesn’t mean soggy green beans. Bon appetit!