3 Appetizing Alternatives for a Healthier Lifestyle

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I haven't previously mentioned this on my blog but I am currently trying to lose weight through exercising and some pretty big changes in my diet. During my quest to obtain the perfect body I have spent many hours on Google researching good diets, healthy meal plans, what to eat, what not to eat and it is pretty conflicting I must admit. I can't really give too much advice to anyone who may be in my shoes as I haven't been too successful at the moment. But one thing I can inform you on is some healthy alternatives to snacks and foods you may consume all the time without thinking about. I can't guarantee that these foods will help you lose weight but they should make you healthier and therefore workouts more productive. They may also seem obvious to some but not to others.

Fruit Juices  à  Actual Fruit
You may not think there is much difference between drinking a glass of orange juice with bits not from concentrate and eating an actual orange but you'd be wrong. Fruits are high in sugar which we all know is cbad. BUT fruits also are high in dietary fibre and contain some other nutrients that make that intake of sugar more acceptable. These nutrients are significantly reduced in juice form yet the sugar content remains high. 
An average orange may contain 3.1g fibre, 12.2g sugars and 1.2g protein  but an average glass of orange juice contains 0.5g fibre, 15.9g sugars and 0.6g protein. I'm guessing if you like orange juice you also like oranges so this shouldn't be too much of a difficult switch.
           Image Source: Pinterest
Fizzy Drinks à Water
This one may be more difficult to do, especially at first but you do get used to it. There are many different reasons why you should switch all drinks to water as often as you can. For one, it helps reach the 8 cups of water goal we are constantly reminded to drink. Water is also the most hydrating drink and often when we feel hungry it's because we are dehydrated, so drinking more water should suppress hunger pangs. Carbonated drinks cause bloating and make you feel full temporarily which means you are more likely to snack in between meals. In addition they are often high in sugar, or if they are diet, high in artificial sweeteners which in large quantities are carcinogenic (cancer causing). Water has 0 calories, and if you add ice to it you actually consume -1 calories as your body has to use energy to regulate the water temperature. I also like to have boiling water with lemon and a dash of paprika which I find really delicious and also increases metabolism and digestion. I'm not saying that you should just drink water for the rest of your life but if on a daily basis you drink water and save other drinks for social events, special meals or even just the weekends you'll be doing your body a whole lot of good!

Adding ice and lemon makes water a lot nicer to drink!

Bread/Buns/Wraps à Lettuce
This is particularly effective if you are trying to reduce your carbohydrate intake but is a healthy alternative anyone can try. I only recently discovered this is a thing and I totally love it. All you have to do is use lettuce leaves as a carbohydrate substitute! So you can still enjoy the family barbecue by wrapping the bun and cheese within two lettuce leaves and have a guilt-free (well, kind of guilt free) Mexican night by putting the delicious fajitas filling on top of lettuce leaves instead of within a wrap. As a society we have diet that is high in carbohydrates and although they are necessary for everyday living they are also big contributors to weight gain and bloating. Although they make you feel full at the end of a meal they also significantly increase your appetite resulting in bigger portion sizes. Small changes such as this means you can still enjoy food and not feel like you are stuck within a diet but still look after your body.
           Image Source: Pinterest
 I originally set out to do around 8 tips but this post ended up being more wordy and technical than I expected. I would have liked to make it more fun but when it comes to eating/drinking, the only fun I think of is chocolate fountains and large glasses of wine. I do think people need to be more aware of what they put into their bodies though.

If you have found this post informative please share and/or comment below and I may do another 3 tips soon.

withloveAmrit

A healthy outside starts with the inside - Robert Urich
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8 comments:

  1. Drinking more water is one of the best things I ever did. I have lost 7st myself and that is what my blog is all about, if you are looking for some advice and healthy recipes :)
    It's www.hungryhealthyhappy.com
    Feel free to edit the link out of my comment if you don't want it there. I am honestly not advertising, I just know what it is like to lose weight and I wanted all the help I could get :)

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    Replies
    1. wow 7st that is incredible well done! I only want to lose 1st personally but it is proving extremely difficult!
      And I don't mind my readers finding other blogs that may also be beneficial to them, a little advertising does no harm! :)

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  2. Great post, I have heard that fruit juices do tend to have quite alot more sugar in than the actual fruit, I guess for me I just find drinking fruit juice quite convenient?

    Helen X

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  3. Great post!

    http://sarawritesadiary.blogspot.com/

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  4. Thank you so much for this post! I've been searching everywhere for a post like this

    Katie xx

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  5. Great post, I myself am trying to eat healthier! I like the idea of using lettuce as alternatives to wraps :)

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  6. Such great tips! I've always been more of a 'drink' rather than 'eat' type of girl. I love my orange juice hehe but I do enjoy eating fruits as well! x

    touchofgucci.blogspot.com.au/

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  7. ... The damn pursuit for the perfect body, right!?
    I'm in your shoes, too. I count calories in order to ensure that I don't eat more than my body burns. The wrap seems like a great light meal - I'll definitely try that out! What do you spice the chicken with?

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