Spring is here and with this energizing weather, you’ll likely want to feel your absolute best to enjoy all the activities that this season brings. The first step is to eat well and eat fresh. I’ve listed three simple tips to help you spring clean your diet to increase overall energy, curb cravings, beat bloat, and keep your gut healthy.
1. Load your diet with fruits and veggies. Whether you choose fresh or frozen, cooked or raw, organic or conventional; the more fruits and veggies you eat, the better for your body overall. The nutrients from these whole foods helps in fighting chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer. In addition, fruits and veggies consumption can also help to increase overall mood and reduce risk for autoimmune disease. Handfuls of berries, spinach in your smoothie, and carrots and hummus are just a few ideas of how to get in the goods!
2. Cut out added sugars. To do this, when it’s not completely obvious like in a baked treat, read labels. Added sugars can sneak up in products such as sauces, dressings, peanut butter, protein bars, dairy, and crunchy snacks. Corn syrup, brown sugar, confectioners sugar, dextrose, fructose, invert syrup, malt syrup, and raw sugar are all examples of added sugars. For the most part, aside from accepting an occasional baked good, cutting out added sugar in your diet can help to eliminate cravings, improve skin, increase energy, reduce diabetes risk, and even lose belly fat.
3. Drink Up! Staying hydrated with plain old H2O is a key to keeping your metabolism working well, your energy levels high, and curb unnecessary calorie consumption as true thirst can present itself as hunger. Try to drink at least half your body weight in ounces each day, or more on the days you workout. To stick to your goal, keep a large water bottle with you at all times and in plain sight.
Best,