I wouldn’t lie – I love writing about nutrition. This is what I’ve studied, so expect I might be a little bit biased and passionate about the topic. However, this is also a conversation that relates to everyone. All humans eat. I would bet that there is probably no single person on the planet who does not enjoy eating, especially some delicious foods. But what we all struggle with is how to enjoy eating as much as we can while staying healthy and fit. The issue comes from the fact that something very delicious is often prepared in an unhealthy way. Yes, you’ve heard me – I said it is prepared in an unhealthy way, not that the food itself is unhealthy. This is a common misconception that people have. There is no bad food, only a bad quality or not a proper quantity.
So what I want to say is that you can still enjoy the food you like while you make some minor adjustments. When we talk about nutrition, we want to set long-term goals and easy steps we can follow. The reason is that anything too aggressive won’t last long. For example, suppose you are trying ultimately to change your nutrition habits. In that case, you may have some success initially but struggle to continue. This is what often happens to people who try the KETO diet. They adjust and feel after the first couple of weeks; they shred the weight relatively fast. However, after half a year or more, it becomes really tough. But why? Can you imagine that you won’t eat carbohydrates like bread, potatoes, pasta, rice your entire life? At some point, the food you eat becomes boring, lacks diversity, and it doesn’t taste as delicious as before. It’s not only not worth it to go that extreme for a long time, but it’s also not healthy in the long term for your body.
Remember that every diet that excludes a whole group of nutrients or a large amount of “forbidden” foods is not recommended for a long time. They can be beneficial as a “detox” period. Still, they are not the key you are looking for to fix your overall nutrition.
Thus, I will recommend some minor changes that can help you eat a bit healthier or allow you to eat more of the foods that are generally high in calories. Because we all love them, we will make them nutrient-dense foods with lower calories and higher quality.
*Just a quick reminder- at the end of the day, you have to consume fewer calories than you burn during the day if you want to lose weight. Yes, the type of calories matters too, and some health issues may also play a role. But in general, you have to really keep in mind your calories consumption if you struggle to lose some weight.
Buy an air fryer
If you like fried stuff (and who doesn’t?), it’s a great idea to invest in a good air-fryer. You can reduce the oil usage by up to 90% and still get excellent crispy results. Moreover, you can reduce your calories consumption by a LOT! For example, instead of frying potatoes and using a lot of oil and a pan, you can use only one tablespoon and your air fryer. This will cut the calories you consume by at least 50 percent. Not to mention that you can do things like meatballs without ANY oil and achieve incredible results!
Replace sugar with erythritol
Sugar is probably something we all need to cut. However, I like sweets, and I know many of you do too. Thus, the best solution is to use an alternative. I have tried stevia, but the taste is too specific, and I definitely don’t adore it. If you have the same issue, I suggest you try erythritol. It’s absolutely fantastic for baking, and it takes the closest to sugar.
Moreover, you can replace it 1:1, making baking so much easier. But don’t limit yourself to baking only. Erythritol goes well with coffee or tea. It can save you so many calories daily without taking the sweet taste.
Try a cauliflower pizza base
Are you a pizza fan who can’t go a week(end) without a pizza? Well, I feel you. However, pizza is a very high-calorie food, and it does not collaborate well with the ambition to stay fit. Although pizza itself could be a very balanced meal, a whole pizza is usually just too much (calories). Plus, who can just eat a slice or two? So here we have another solution.
Try a cauliflower pizza base or even a broccoli one! Again, you will end up eating at least 50% fewer calories by eating the same amount of pizza. Not to mention that you will get those servings of veggies that you really need in your diet. A game changer!
Pasta, but what a pasta!
Okay, after we mentioned pizza, we can not miss the other famous temptation- pasta! Usually with those two things people often goes wrong. Pasta is great, delicious, and easy to make. However, it contains mainly carbohydrates, and we need to consume a lot of pasta to feel satisfied. Thus, we often end up overeating.
So how we can resolve the problem? There are two options.
Option one is to try high-protein pasta like lentil pasta, bean pasta, or other types, which provide around 20g of protein per 100g. This way, it will be a very balanced meal, and we will feel full faster because of the high protein content.
Another option to reduce the calories in half but keep the size portion is to use 50% regular pasta and 50% veggies. I like mixing my pasta with broccoli or cherry tomatoes, for example. In this case, don’t forget to add some lean protein to make it a perfect meal.
Have a salad for lunch or dinner!
Salads are great. We need them more. We really need them. They are packed with nutrients that are crucial for our health. They create volume and satisfy our hunger. They are also generally very low in calories unless you add a substantial amount of dressing. However, to reduce hunger afterwards, make sure you add healthy fats and protein to your salad. For example, add nuts or avocado. For protein, you can go with eggs, lean cuts of meat, tofu, tempeh, or fish like salmon. Find a recipe and make some healthy dressing that is low in fats and sugar.
Explore and don’t be afraid to add variety to your salad. Your body will thank you later!
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