You’re ready to eat some healthier foods but aren’t sure how. Do you know how to swap healthy food for the unhealthier foods? Do you say you want to, but practically aren’t sure how or what exactly that looks like? And if you’re over 40 and used to eating a certain way, how can you do this without the tears and overwhelm?
If that’s you, today we are going to talk about a few easy strategies.
So healthy vs. unhealthy. Those words may have a different definition than for me. Some people think like I did about 17 years ago. At that time, we had to begin a food elimination program for one of my children which was the beginning of my deep dive and journey into a more holistic lifestyle. At that time since my child had to eat gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and soy free, we all did (most of us did). We did that for 7 years. At that time, there was no amazon, Walmart didn’t carry anything we needed, nor did local stores. And we didn’t have internet to research. (Shocker, I know!) So once a month we drove to Whole Foods – about 45 min away. We bought what we thought would work and help. And it did a little.
But what I didn’t know then, and it’s really just a journey, a step by step process for us all, as I tell you to do. We swapped unhealthy treats, packaged and boxed foods for gluten-free and allergen-free unhealthy treats and boxed foods. But I didn’t know better. However, now I do.
Really what we should have focused on was just eating the way God created the food originally. Not buying boxed cookies, crackers, snacks, etc. Why? Because the way God made the foods are more anti-inflammatory and non-allergenic overall. But when we traded one type of boxed and packaged food for the so-called healthier ones, we still ended up with a lot of ingredients including chemical and sugary laden products. But you don’t know what you don’t know, right? So I’ve cut myself some slack. And you should also if you are trying to make modifications.
So today, when I talk to clients or other people who ask me how I eat, I tell them what I stated above. The majority of the time eat the basics – proteins, veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds, healthy fats, and then if you have additional symptoms or dysfunctions, we will have to consider that and individualize your plan.
Let’s talk about some simple swaps you can make. And because junk food is one category many of my clients (and maybe you) hate to give up initially, let’s talk about that one first.
For your sweet cravings:
If you love chocolate, instead of milk chocolate, switch to a dark chocolate – 72% or higher cacao. Watch your portion sizes. Read the label. Many of us just take the whole bag to the couch and mindlessly eat. Don’t do that. Put the serving size in a pretty bowl or small cup. That will help you not overeat.
Also, for a chocolate cake, I have healthier chocolate muffins and a mug cake on my website or just google healthier cake. Here’s a pro tip if you don’t do anything else. When baking a cupcake, mug cake, or whole cake – decrease the sugar by 1/3 – ½ OR use a sweetener like monk fruit or stevia for part of the sugar in the recipe.
And if you’re an ice cream lover, you can use overripe bananas and make a banana ice cream in your blender. Just chop up ripe bananas, store in the freezer, add to your high-speed blender (you can even add with a little liquid), and blend well. You can add cinnamon or vanilla or even cacao or cocoa powder, You won’t need any sweeteners because the banana has natural sweetness.
And did you also know that both cinnamon and vanilla can trick your taste buds into thinking you added sweetness. Add to baked goods, cereals, or even coffee.
And if you want to make muffins or cookies, instead of white flour, use nut flours, coconut flour, or cassava which provide nutrients and fiber. They’re easy to adapt and your food still tastes great.
And instead of eggs, use one small container of applesauce (those individual containers) or ¼ to ½ of a sweet potato. And instead of canola oil (which is not healthy at all), use avocado oil, EVOO, or an avocado.
For your salty cravings:
Instead of potato chips, try cassava strips or even baked sweet potato chips. You can buy them online or even in some stores.
Instead of fried potatoes aka French fries, make homemade sweet potato baked fries at home. Simple to do. Peel, cut, toss in olive oil and seasonings, place on cookie sheet, bake at 400 til crispy. Delish!
Vegetable Swaps:
Instead of iceberg lettuce which has very little nutrition (maybe a little fiber but that’s about it), use leafy greens like spinach, baby kale, romaine. or an organic spring mix. And if you normally like to add croutons to your salad, swap with roasted nuts like pumpkin or sunflower seeds. They provide the crunch and have healthy fat and fiber instead of the gluten.
And if you are having sweet cravings, you can use sweeter veggies to help. Things like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots are naturally sweeter. They are nutrient dense filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and much better than sugary dessert. Plus, they will help satisfy your sweet tooth.
For your beverages and fruit:
Instead of sugary drinks like fancy coffees, energy or soft drinks, or even alcohol, drink beverages with low to no sugar (but not artificial sweeteners). Use monk fruit powder or stevia to sweeten your coffee or tea or even a homemade lemonade. These are good replacements for sodas. Instead of fruit juices, which many people think are healthy, eat the whole fruit. When you only drink juice, you are getting massive doses of fructose without the benefit of fiber. Or make up a smoothie with whole fruits and use water as your liquid base (or coconut milk) instead of fruit juice. Add berries, some spinach (which no one will taste because it’s so mild), maybe 1/4 – 1/2 an orange, 1/2 avocado, a scoop of clean protein powder, plus some ice. This will provide so many nutrients, give you energy, plus will keep you full and happy longer. And instead of alcohol, find a recipe for a mocktail. Alcohol has a lot of sugar so don’t drink your sugar!
Now is it okay to buy those boxed/packaged goods or even a sweet treat sometimes? Of course, I always try to emphasize we are learning a new lifestyle and that takes time. Plus, life is up and down. You may be traveling, it might be a holiday, or you might have a party to go to. Once in a while these are fine. It’s when we consume them every day, chronic health issues may develop. So for convenience you may just make the choice to buy some pre-packaged items. But always read the food labels including ingredients. Then you can make a healthier choice.
Remember, you didn’t get to where you are in only a month. You’re not going to implement all changes in just a month. Give yourself a realistic goal – 6 months to a year. It won’t be so overwhelming and you will gradually implement small changes so you will be more apt to be consistent and not give up. And every one of those small steps really do matter.
Do you want to make healthier choices to decrease your weight, hormonal issues, digestive symptoms, and fatigue? But you realize you need accountability, support, and guidance from someone who has not only been there personally, but also works with clients professionally and has successfully helped them? If so, reach out to me. I am a national board certified health and wellness coach and work with women over 40 who have low energy, brain fog, GI and weight issues, and autoimmune dysfunction. I’d love the opportunity to work with you, too. You can schedule a free 20-minute consult by clicking here. — Leah Cheshire, MCD, CCC-SLP, NBCHWC
