Are you looking to improve your diet but you don’t know where to start? At Medics USA, our primary care doctors care about your health and wellness. We want you to know that making small but effective changes to your diet is possible, and we’ll tell you exactly where to start!
Simple Changes to Improve Your Diet
Drink More Water
Drinking enough water offers numerous health benefits like aiding in nutrient absorption and improving blood oxygen circulation. It can also help to reduce your appetite, feel fuller longer, and assist with easier digestion. Additionally, if you drink more water, especially in place of sugary drinks at meals, you’ll consume far fewer calories in a day.
Increase Your Protein Intake
Simple carbs certainly serve a purpose in our diets, and you don’t need to eliminate them completely. However, eggs for breakfast will ensure you stay full until lunch, whereas a muffin will likely leave you hungry mid-morning. Protein helps to keep you fuller longer, and lean proteins, such as eggs, chicken, turkey, and salmon, are healthy options to incorporate into your diet.
Keep Recipes Simple
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to find elaborate recipes or buy a lot of ingredients to prepare a dish. In fact, eating healthy is done best when recipes are kept simple. Grill chicken breasts, toss a vegetable in olive oil to roast in the oven, and complete the meal with a baked sweet potato. Those four ingredients will ensure a healthy, well-balanced meal that is easy to put together.
Find Healthy Alternatives
Do you love carbonation and can’t imagine giving up soda? Try sparkling flavored water. Do you love to end a meal with a sweet treat? Try a greek-yogurt ice cream bar. The important thing to remember is that there is likely a healthy alternative to the foods you love. From vegetable-based pasta to baked chicken wings instead of fried, you’ll love finding healthy alternatives but still enjoying delicious food.
Decrease Portion Sizes
We’ve all been there: you finish a meal and feel too full. The truth of the matter is, our portion sizes are often too large — especially if you’re eating at a restaurant. However, the dinner plates that we have at home can even cause us to fill our plates with more food than necessary. If you’re eating out, try splitting a meal with your spouse or friend. If you’re at home, try using a smaller plate and see how full you feel after your first serving — you’ll likely find you don’t need seconds! An important aspect is eating slowly so you have enough time to listen to your body and register your hunger cues.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be hard, and making simple yet effective changes is often what sets you up for life-long success. If you’re looking for more ways you can improve your health, make an appointment with one of our primary care doctors at either one of our Washington DC locations or our Ashburn, VA location for a wellness check. We look forward to seeing you!