Are you like me and need something tangible to help make good food choices? Try posting this healthy food list on your refrigerator as a constant reminder. I am not a health nut by nature. I have always had a sweet tooth. In fact, when I was younger I would force myself to eat what was on my dinner plate just so I would be allowed to enjoy the dessert that was available upon completion. My parents were smart. They knew when it came to dinner time that I had two obvious weaknesses. I loved sweets and I hated missing out on anything fun that might be going on after dinner, so they had no choice but to use these to their advantage.
The Need for Healthy Food
This love for sweets followed me into adulthood. I’m not ashamed to admit that I would rather skip dinner just to eat a small slice of chocolate cake with equivalent caloric value or possibly overindulge all together by eating both. Shameful, yes, but honest none-the-less. At any rate, this was my pattern at times and it didn’t seem to affect my body much until my thirties. That’s when my metabolism finally held up a symbolic stop sign and suddenly these shameful habits started affecting the way my jeans fit the following morning. So, I knew something needed to change.
Now, to get someone like me to shift from midnight dessert junkie to healthy food lover overnight just seemed impossible. And to be honest…I just refused to completely cut out sugar from my diet entirely. But when my body started rapidly expanding I resolved that there was no better time than the present to start implementing some healthy eating habits. I knew I needed some helpful food tips for beginners. Something that would be a constant reminder for me to help train my brain to make healthy choices rather than grabbing a bag of chips. Maybe something like a healthy food list that I could post on my refrigerator?
I wasn't sure what a healthy food list should look like or which foods should be on there. Clearly fruits and vegetables were important, but I needed to know exactly which ones. So, I spent some time researching so I could know for sure. Below is the healthy food list that has helped cleanse my body and lose weight in the process.
Healthy Food List
Fruits: Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Apples, Pineapple, Bananas, Kiwi, Grapes
Vegetables: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Carrots, Peppers, Zucchini, Squash, Broccoli, Onions, Potatoes
Meat & Protein: Chicken, Turkey, Fish, Lean Beef, Beans
Nuts & Snacks: Pecans (and other nuts), Popcorn, Trail Mix, Applesauce, Dried Fruit, Nut Butters
Dairy & Eggs: Milk, Low fat Cheese, Pecan Milk, Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Greek Yogurt, Eggs
Grains: Whole-wheat Bread, Whole-grain flour tortillas, Oatmeal, Rice
Being a pecan grower I knew that pecans were a good source of nutrition, but I was curious to know exactly how much. And let me tell you, I was amazed!
Easy Steps to Implement
After all, I knew there was no way that I would be able to exclude pecans from my daily meal plan nor was I willing to. When I found out that pecans are actually very healthy for you it was all the justification that I needed to appease my indulgence. I just had to make a few modifications gradually. Small steps that were easy on me. Like instead of eating a slice of chocolate cake with roasted pecans sprinkled on top for the third night in a row I would grab a few handfuls of fresh pecans mixed with dried cranberries. Or in place of a large helping of our Aunt Kay’s Pecan Pie Bars, I would either get a smaller portion or grab some Cinnamon Pecans.
And you know what? I discovered that it wasn’t that hard to make the shift. I still have my decadent desserts, but I’ve learned to exercise some self control and not make them a daily necessity. Easy steps that have made a big difference in my eating habits over the long haul. If you are like me and need to make some adjustments in your eating habits I highly recommend that you read the benefits below of my all time favorite nut – the pecan.
4 Huge Health Benefits of Pecans
1. Lower the risk of heart disease
2. Aid in weight loss
3. Help boost brain health
4. Lower cholesterol levels
Could it be that this research is revealing something more central? Maybe our bodies are essentially craving pecans? I’d be willing to bet that your body is trying to send you a message. If it could verbalize how it feels it would be telling you to incorporate a handful of pecans into your daily eating regimen. You can find a great recipe to jump start your healthy eating with some delicious Homemade Baked Zucchini Fries. For, what we put into our bodies will eventually display external living proof. And that’s all it really takes. One simple step of ensuring that pecans are present in your day-to-day diet and you will be well on your way to becoming a health nut.
