This post is sponsored by FatJoe Publishing. As always, all opinions and ideas are entirely my own.
Don’t you hate it when all you bought was healthy food and now there is nothing good to eat… I would say the same but I definitely don’t think that way anymore! Obviously, There’s no pretending that you can go on a diet without making a few sacrifices. There may be favorites that you’re not allowed to go near again and much, much more that you have to get used to limiting such as sugar, alcohol, dairy, etc. To pretend otherwise is to set yourself up for failure. However, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor completely to enjoy your diet.
In fact, most healthy foods are where the flavors come from. You should only want to consume natural and organic products. Diet plays such a huge role in your overall health, physically and mentally. And because your incorporating a healthier lifestyle (yay you!) it doesn’t mean the flavor walks out the door with the habits your kicking.
Don’t you hate it when all you bought was healthy food and now there is nothing good to eat… I would say the same but I definitely don’t think that way anymore! Obviously, There’s no pretending that you can go on a diet without making a few sacrifices. There may be favorites that you’re not allowed to go near again and much, much more that you have to get used to limiting such as sugar, alcohol, dairy, etc. To pretend otherwise is to set yourself up for failure. However, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor completely to enjoy your diet.
In fact, most healthy foods are where the flavors come from. You should only want to consume natural and organic products. Diet plays such a huge role in your overall health, physically and mentally. And because your incorporating a healthier lifestyle (yay you!) it doesn’t mean the flavor walks out the door with the habits your kicking.
Find your replacements
The first and most vital tip is to find working replacements for the stuff that you’re most likely to cheat with. If you’re going on a gluten-free diet or simply cutting carbs (and thus getting rid of gluten anyway), then there are a few clever substitutes that you can find that are much healthier, but a good match for the taste and texture of the original. We live in a world where machines have modified the way we can purchase and consume food. Gluten-free and dairy-free options are ALL over the market aisles now. This makes it so easy for you to stay on track with your current diet.
Try a new drink
If you’re cutting down on coffee or tea, then you might find that this can be one of the hardest parts of your diet of all to let go of. You can still have the occasional cup of your favorite drink, but consider trying it without milk and sugar, or slowly decreasing the amount you use over time. I am a huge fan of coconut milk. It adds sweetness and milk texture without the dairy or sugar intake. It’s also worth trying green tea. The taste is undoubtedly different, but it does have the caffeine, and can even help with weight loss efforts. Matcha lattes are another excellent substitute that keeps you caffeinated naturally, without all of the cane sugars. Pour a little honey into your milk and matcha mix and you are good to go!
Become a master of herbs and spices
Herbs and spices have centuries of history. Ther is a reason they are still used in cooking and health today. For your meals, it may become important that you cut way down on sauces and additional flavorings, especially for meat dishes. However, you can still add a truckful of flavor by investing in a well-stocked herb and spice rack. For instance, you can make a barbecue healthier by using this sage butter recipe instead of using actual BBQ sauce. Naturally, if you’re making butter-based garnishes, you still need to be mindful of how much you use. However, one of the big benefits of herbs is that they can add a ton of flavor without a lot of fat or carbs. Pinterest a few homemade herb recipes to inspire some meals.
Some spices I ALWAYS have stocked in my cabinet are:
Cinnamon
Bay Seasoning
Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Some spices I ALWAYS have stocked in my cabinet are:
Cinnamon
Bay Seasoning
Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Allow a cheat
Most importantly, you can fight your cravings much better if you occasionally allow yourself to give into them but on your own terms. You should add cheat meals to your schedule. I repeat you should add cheat meals to your schedule. Especially at moments where you’re more likely to give in to temptation, such as going out for a meal with friends or while traveling. Cheat meals allow you to indulge without the guilt of fully breaking your diet. You might even find that when you give yourself permission, you still tend to hold back a little and indulge a little less than you would normally. It’s good for helping you develop some discipline.
Finding ways to replace old loves and ways to add brand new loves is going to make a big difference to any diet that you go on. Hopefully, the tips above give you some ideas but think about changes and replacements you can add for your own favorites that can make big diet changes all the easier to bear.
