Over the last 100 years or so, America has been the recipient of giant waves of migration from all corners of the earth, this has created the fabled melting-pot that is the United States. But what do we love the most? Yep – the food.
As migrants long for the taste of home, they brought their chefs along with them and this has given us a literal smorgasbord of food from the simple to the sublime. On just about any Main street in the United States, you can be transported from Asia to France within just a few steps.
All of this gorgeous culinary adventure going has had one rather unwelcomed side-effect though – our waistlines. It’s no secret that America is the most obese nation on earth and it’s costing our healthcare billions of dollars every year. Billions of dollars that could be way better spent elsewhere, so what are some easy ways to feast like a king, without having to start shopping in that section of the store?
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
The oldest trick in the book and the wisest by all accounts. Certainly, you want to be drinking half your weight (in ounces), every day. Simply put, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should be drinking 70 ounces of water every day. Adjust accordingly if you’re an active person or if you work in the sun or outdoors.
Drinking water isn’t just a good idea for hydration, it’s also going to help you lose weight and we’re all about that. Water has zero calories, nothing, zilch, nada. You can drink as much of it as you like, and because water has the same weight on a pound per pound ratio as, well, everything else, a glass of water before a meal will fill up and ultimately help you to eat less.
MAKING SMARTER CHOICES
It’s never been about cutting out all of your favorite foods, it’s always been about finding new ways of preparation, substituting certain ingredients, and enjoying your favorite, high-calorie foods – less frequently.
Creole sauce doesn’t have to make an exit from your menu, neither do biscuits or hearty gravies, rather get online and learn how you can still eat what you love – just being smarter about it. Look at superfoods that you have to add to your diet this year, can’t go wrong.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
The more you know about your eating habits, when you’re likely to crave certain foods as well as the impact that some foods have on our bodies, the more you’ll be able to make better choices about what your eating and when. The food-mind connection is well established, so if you’re prone to craving sugary, fatty foods in the afternoon – it’s probably because you didn’t start your day out particularly well.
COOK YOUR OWN MEALS
This is a no-brainer. Cooking your own meals (or at least as many of them as possible) helps you truly understand what you’re consuming, and the method of preparation. Processed and ready-made foods are generally the devil in your diet, stay away.
For a more healthier meal , try some grilled recipes.
