Cleaning up your diet

When I wake up in the morning I take a shower and brush my teeth and then i sit in bed for a few minutes reading emails on my Iphone and checking out all of my daily deals and health tips.  I read them all, but some of them are more meaningful than others.  This morning the email was from Prevention and it was called 9 Ways to Clean Up Your Diet.

I thought that it was really interesting and thought that I would share it with you.  Check out the article and also Prevention's website.  They have great health tips and recipes on there.  I am not getting paid to endorse them, I just think that their site is awesome and love getting their emails!

1. 86 (get rid of) the processed junk.
Ditch the soda and corn oil.  I am four weeks into kicking soda to the curb and honestly I feel better than ever and my sugar cravings have seriously decreased.  Will I never have a soda again in my life? No, but it is becoming a very rare occurance and I like that.  Also try to replace white bread and things with refined flour with other items that have whole grains or wheat in them.

2. Buy organic when you can for your lifestyle.
The article suggests that buying organic produce if you're a vegetarian is wise.  I am not a vegetarian, but I still try to buy organic when I can.  I get that their message is that organic is expensive, so if you eat meat you should try to buy your meat without hormones, grass-fed and natural and stick to the regular produce to save money.

3. Stick to the four corners of the store.
I read this everywhere, but it is so true.  Stick to the outside perimeter of the grocery store and avoid the overly processed and fattening foods found in the middle.  I have been working on this for the past month and really it is true.  Everything that is good for you is usually on the outside of those long dreade aisles.

4. Read the labels.
This seems really obvious for someone who is trying to lose weight, but it is more than just looking at the fat, calories and protein.  You should skeep to the bottom and see what is IN the food that you are putting IN your body.  If you can't say it, skip it.  The more simple the ingredients, the better!

5. Consider the nutrients first.
This goes along with reading the label.  Make sure that your hard earned money lasts longer and get things that pack a nutritional and filling punch.  Think fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins and not things high in fat, calories, sugar and carbohydrates.

6. Say NO to eating out.
Buy a cute apron and cook at home.  I know that Ron and I have struggled with some of the food that we are eating and we still miss our favorite restaurants, but we are really loving cooking together.  It makes eating the food a lot more enjoyable too!

7. Tastebud Makeover.
Do your tastebuds crave the the sweet and salty demons from your past?  Try to retrain your tastebuds to crave the good stuff.  I know that this is easier said than done.  I have by no means mastered this yet.  The article suggests that one way to move over is to try introducing some of your favorite foods with healthier alternatives in varying amounts until you are evntually eating the healthy one entirely.  Personally, I am a cold turkey kind of girl.  If I try to ween myself off of it I will only miss it more.

8. 80-20
Ever make a dieting plan and get so wrapped up in it and cut everything out that you find yourself one month later binging and losing control?  Make and 80-20 rule.  That means you should try and eat clean and healthy 80% of the time and the other 20% you can allow yourself to indulge a little bit.

9. Find a new way to love food.
This one is hard.  Food is so comforting and non-judgemental and soothing.  It really should be an enjoying thing, but you should choose things that are healthy and in the right portions to enjoy.  It is when we indulge too much or with the wrong food that our love for it becomes unhealthy.

Happy Wednesday!  I have a presentation today for a Leadership class that I am taking at work and I am nervous.  I have been doing it for 6 months now, so I should be over it, but I just get stage fright worrying about if I have memorized it or not.  Oh well!  Tomorrow's post is going to be the one about clothes and Friday is my 100th post and I am giving away two prizes that will be announced tomorrow!