LIVESTRONG.COM is a great place to visit for advice on health, well being and weight loss. Recently the site talked about organizing and de-cluttering your dietary lifestyle. As summer hits, the first thing I do is take stock and take inventory. It is my time to clean things up after a long winter and get ready for fun in the sun. It is also a time when I notice my body more since warmer weather demands shorts and no bulky jackets or coats to bring in flair to hid the flab. Thankfully, it is also a time when low fat and refreshing foods come into season making cutting calories easier.
During the time I clean out the clutter, the old paperwork, the old school supplies, and clean out from under the beds, I rarely give any thought to rethinking my diet. I try to maintain a good diet throughout the year but winter always causes me to stumble a bit. Cold weather has a way of bringing out the heavy comfort foods that can destroy any diet. I think warmer weather must come just to be certain I do not eat enough mashed potatoes and yummy holiday food to gain a hundred pounds. In the winter I have a harder time keeping my hand out of the cookie jar. However, if we take good care of ourselves and monitor our health our hand may slip in the cookie jar every now and then without devastating effects on our waist.
Here are a few things I learned about de-cluttering and renewing my diet:
Keep a Food Journal: I have discussed the importance of keeping a food journal in the past. Many times you may think you have a good idea of what you eat but keeping a journal may be an eye opening experience. It can also keep you on track with eating the proper amount of fruits and vegetables a day.
Clean Up Your Diet: In the past, I have mentioned how important it is to stay away from excessive amounts of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils. However, you must also keep in check the amount of saturated and trans-fats you consume. Saturated fats and trans fat are linked to fatigue, inflammation and heart disease. I want to add that foods which cause inflammatory responses need to be reduced or eliminated as cancer, arthritis and diabetes among other diseases are inflammatory diseases.
Lighten Up: As mentioned in the winter we tend to eat heavier foods. As spring and summer arrive most are craving refreshing and light foods like fruit salads, veggies, and lighter food fare. Try to keep in season or purchase from a farmer’s market for the best local produce.
Get Organized: My main reason for eating in an unhealthy manner is a lack of organization. Just the other day I stopped by McDonald’s and ordered food for my family because my son had baseball practice that evening and it was getting too late to cook. To combat that freeze healthy leftovers and prepare fruits and vegetables in advance for quick meals.