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You Thought You Knew What Was Healthy

Many people struggle to lose weight and maintain a healthy diet. Why? Because they don't really know what to do and how to eat. Here are my tips as someone who lost 15 pounds over quarantine...

By Jenna TomovichPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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https://online.ahu.edu/blog/healthy-food-doesnt-have-to-be-expensive-how-to-eat-well-on-a-budget/

"Diet" The word that everyone knows and has most-likely had experience with. You probably instantly think of veggies, intense exercise, and skipping on dessert when you hear it. I used to think that dieting meant cutting out ALL tasty foods and eating way less than I normally did. Luckily, through research, speaking with professionals in the health field, and personal experience, I learned that this is NOT the case. Here are my healthy lifestyle tips that helped me lose 15 pounds over quarantine.

(I am not a medical professional and don't claim to be a health expert. These tips are things that have worked for me and that have been advised to me by people who are health professionals.)

1. Eat Better, Not Less

A diet doesn't have to mean starving yourself. It doesn't even have to mean not feeling full! You can still have a satisfying meal that fills you up and is low-calorie, high-nutrients. So, How do you do it? Add more vegetables and lean proteing to your meal and cut back on the fats and carbs. Things like spinach, kale, and mixed vegetables are full of nutrients your body needs and are low-calorie. When plating your meal, try filling half of the plate with vegetables or greens and only a quarter of the plate with a acarb or starch. The other quarter of the plate you can fill with the lean-protein of your choice. When adding condiments, make sure to check the serving size and see how much sugar, sodium, and fat are in one serving. Remember, a little sugar and fat is OK! Just don't overdo it! Here is a link to a great resource on how to eat well withoout eating less:

https://www.gousto.co.uk/blog/balanced-meal-look-like

2. Meal Prep

A lot of people struggle with eating healthy because fast-food is a quick option when on the go. Although you can find some healthier options when eating out, it is much easier to avoid temptation and control what is actually going into your food by making it yourself. My routine is to meal prep on Sunday nights when I have free time. Trust me, it's not hard. Just find a healthy recipe that you like and either double or tripple the recipe depending on how many meals you need to make. There are really no rules when it comes to meal prepping, it's all up to you! Here is a link to some great meal prep recipes:

https://gatheringdreams.com/easy-healthy-meal-prep-ideas-30-minutes/

3. Find Low-fat Alternatives

What if I told you that you could still eat things like chicken alfredo, artichoke dip, and chicken coconut curry and still lose weight? Crazy, right!? Just swap the heavy cream and high-fat ingredients for things like greek yogurt, low-fat cheese, and skim milk. Love sour cream? Plain, non-fat greek yogurt makes a tasty, similar substitute! Here are some links to recipes that use healthier ingredients in some of your favorite comfort meals:

https://www.insider.com/healthy-alternatives-to-comfort-foods-2018-9#load-pot-pies-with-veggies-and-top-with-a-flaky-fat-free-crust-15

4. Eat Less Carbs, Not No Carbs

"Bread is the enemy!" NOT! Bread is great, and I will be the first one to say that I love bread. You don't have to get rid of carbs to lose weight, despite what people tell you. It's all about portion control. Carbs actually give your body energy and are a part of a balanced diet. Here's how I kept my carbs in check: If I had a high-carb breakfast, I might have a salad or soup for lunch. If I know I'm probably going to have a high-carb dinner, I'll eat a lower-carb breakfast. It's all about balance and portion size. Another thing to keep in mind is that not all carbs are equal. When choosing between white bread and wheat bread, go for the wheat. White bread is far less nutritional than wheat bread even though they are close in calories. Low-carb wraps and tortillas are also a good way to cut down on the amount of carbs you take in. A great substitute for rice and pasta are cauliflower rice and zoodles (zucchini noodles). I also LOVE Spaghetti squash marinara. Here are some tasty low-carb recipes:

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/g3593/low-carb-recipes/

5. Air fry

Yes, I am a crazy air fryer lady! Once you get the hang of how to use the thing, it really makes eating healthy SOOOO much easier. The whole point of an air fryer is to use less oil in your cooking. Just one tablespoon of olive oil has upwards of 120 calories. Olive oil is very good for your body in many respects, but when trying to lose weight, it's important to keep how much you use in check. The airfryer requires very little oil, if any, to cook your food and make things crispy! I've made things like falafel, air-fried pork chops, sweet potato wedges, and brussel sprouts in my air fryer. Here are some air fried recipes that you'll absolutely love:

https://www.delish.com/cooking/g4711/air-fryer-recipes/

6. Drink LOTS of Water

I used to HATE water. Like actually hated it! I would drink diet coke and other diet drinks thinking that because they had little to no calories they were healthy. WRONG! You need your water. I started making it a game to see how much water I could drink in a day. I noticed that the more water I drank, the clearer my skin got, the better my digestion was, and the fuller I was before and after meals. Water really does help regulate your body. Read more about how water helps you lose weight:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/drinking-water-helps-with-weight-loss

7. Find Physical Activities You Enjoy

Don't worry, you don't have to run if you don't want to. I can't stand running. Never liked it, never will. BUT, I exercise at least four times a week. What do I do? Whatever I want! Sometimes I'll do the bike, sometimes I'll take my dog for a long walk, sometimes I'll just dance for half an hour! I also try and do some strength training to keep my muscles and bones strong. I do the activities that I enjoy because then I actually want to workout. There's no need to do things that you don't enjoy because you'll get burnt out and lose motivation. Do what works for you!

Hopefully these tips help you in your weight-loss journey, or just help you eat a more balanced diet. Remember, YOU CAN DO IT! Life is all about balance, and a healthy diet includes little rewards here and there. Thanks for reading!

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About the Creator

Jenna Tomovich

Hey guys! My name is Jenna and I'm a twenty-something post-grad living in the DC area! I mostly write for fun and it's always been a hobby of mine. I hope you enjoy my stores and that they bring some excitement to your day!

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