Spring Cleaning: Diet edition

Winter can wreak havoc on even the most disciplined of dieters. Cold weather and short days are made better by hot meals laden with potatoes, cheese, or gravy. Early dark mornings are bearable only with lattes topped with whip cream and other sugary treats. Your three PM slump seems to hit harder when it’s already getting dark out and you’re still chained to your desk so it’s easier to justify an afternoon break for a little treat.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Winter and comfort food go hand in hand. The problem is that when a “treat” becomes a daily ritual it’s no longer a treat, it’s a habit. So when spring finally begins to peak out and you shed a few of those winter layers you might notice there’s a bit more of you there then there was in the fall.

Spring is a great time to revamp your diet and introduce new healthier foods that have been lacking over the winter months. With the warmer weather more fruits and vegetables will be in season making it easier to add healthier items to your diet.

Some easy ways to change up your food routine include:

• Refreshing your Pinterest feed with healthy meal inspiration
• Setting goals to remove or cut back on bad food habits
• Packing your lunches for work instead of eating out
• Doing healthy baking and cooking events with friends and sharing what you make
• Recruiting a friend to keep you accountable
• Selecting things such as processed sugar or fast food to remove from your diet
• Meal plan ahead of time so you know what you’ll have each day
• Don’t shop when you’re hungry and stick to your list

Challenge yourself to set a goal for healthy eating whether it’s to gain more energy, reduce cravings, or lose weight. This way you can focus on something tangible that you can work towards. Then choose three process goals or things you will use to help you achieve your main goal.

For example your goal may be to fit into your clothes better. You would then choose process goals such as: drink more water, no late night snacking, and bring a healthy lunch to work.

Here are some healthy recipes to get you started:

Baked beet chips

Sweet potato crust pizza

Avocado banana smoothie

Raspberry pineapple chia popsicles

What are your go-to healthy recipes?

 

 

 

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