Fruits and Vegetables

Everyone wants to eat a healthier diet. We’ve all been warned of the possible outcome if our daily menu plan consists of fast food and soda. Regardless of how young you are, this way of eating will eventually catch up with you. Eating a balanced diet that includes dairy products, proteins, and a combination of fruit and vegetable servings at each meal is the best route to take.

Quite often we don’t even start to think about eating better until something goes wrong. It may be when we step on a scale after avoiding one for years to find that it’s jumped thirty pounds up. Or it could be a nagging worry in the back of your head about the history of heart attack or stroke in your family. Changing your diet at any point can make a sizable difference in not only the quality of your life but also in how long you live.

It’s not difficult to adopt a new menu plan but you do need to be committed to it. How many of us have pledged alliance to a healthier lifestyle on Monday morning only to fall back into our poor eating patterns by the next day? Even just adjusting your diet slowly can make a huge difference. For instance instead of heading out for a burger and fries at lunch, pack a bagged lunch that includes a sandwich on high fiber bread along with a fruit and vegetable. It can be anything from a peach to cucumber slices. Just this one small change will have you feeling better.

There’s no denying that it’s difficult to give up everything that the experts claim is bad for us. If you love chocolate and feel miserable without it, add one small piece of dark chocolate to your diet as a snack a few days a week. Also if you crave something late in the afternoon prepare a fruit and vegetable platter and that will satisfy your nagging hunger until dinner time.

This way of eating certainly doesn’t need to take a hiatus when you head out to a restaurant. There are many good choices on almost every menu you’ll look at. If at all possible, choose a low fat entrée such as grilled fish and also a fruit and vegetable. Maybe some mango salsa and a carrot salad would round out the meal and fill you up. If you choose wisely you won’t hate yourself the next day when you feel sluggish again.

Parents can make a huge difference in the lives of their children if they guide them towards healthy eating patterns when they are young. Children are more likely to eat the same foods as their parents. They learn by example so instead of filling the cupboards up with cookies and chips, fill the refrigerator with a fruit and vegetable bowl. The kids will reach for it first when they are in need of a snack. Hopefully that habit will be a life long one.