Easy ways to make your diet healthier

I love food. The word diet doesn't necessarily have to be negative. Many people around me see me eating a salad for lunch and ask me "Are you on a diet?" And I'm like.. "Yeah this IS my diet." Everyone has a diet. Diet simply means what you eat.

In recent months I've been making an attempt to make my diet healthier, by making some really small changes.

1. Cut out sugary sodas. COMPLETELY.

I mean, these don't do anything for you. At all. Do they quench your thirst? Not really. They may taste good on a sweltering day but a glass of iced tea or iced water with lemons can taste equally good, sans the calories. Check out my previous post for some recipes of fruit infused water if you find drinking plain water too bland.

2. Incorporate vegetables into your diet

There are certain vegetables which I've been adding to my diet of late simply because they are really easy to eat, don't require much preparation or cooking and are chock full of vitamins. Baby spinach, how I love thee. They look like leaves and can be eaten raw or cooked. I usually just wash a handful and crunch on them without any dressing when my main meal is lacking in the vegetable department.

Cherry tomatoes, another great snacking option which has lots of antioxidants and can give you a nice complexion. Yellow capsicum, a superfood which tastes great when grilled or baked. I usually season with ground black pepper.  It's delicious. Please try grilling it. (My friends think I'm a crazy capsicum lady when I implore them to try grilling capsicums).

Cucumber  helps reduce inflammation in your body and provides hydration as it is mostly made up of water. Not to mention, it's delicious in sandwiches and salads.

3. Cut down on processed foods

Instead of using something processed like mayonnaise in your sandwiches, use avocados instead. They're rich and creamy too but contain lots of vitamins and good fats which help regulate your insulin levels. In a similar fashion, instead of using salad creams or thousand island dressing (super fattening), use a bit of olive oil or whole grain mustard as your dressing. Better yet, don't use dressing at all.

A good substitute for potato chips is to bake sweet potato slices or wedges in the oven. Just be sure to coat the sweet potatoes in olive oil before baking to prevent them from drying out. Try to eat fresh foods. Anything that comes in a box or packet usually has lots of chemicals which you can't pronounce added to them... And I don't think these chemicals do you much good.

4. Substitute desserts with fruits

I fully understand the impulse of opening your fridge at night for that tub of chocolate ice cream. I'm guilty of it too! But recently I've been eating fruits when I get a sugar craving. Fruits contain lots of vitamins and have complex sugars which are better for you than refined sugars. My personal favorites are navel oranges and strawberries. Oh and having a banana before your workout does WONDERS. And the brown spotty ones are so sweet!

5. Don't deprive yourself, everything in moderation

Back to that tub of chocolate ice cream... I still indulge in it when I feel like rewarding myself after a hard day's work or after a really intensive workout. Don't deprive yourself of anything, just don't go overboard. Always evaluate whether the food you are putting into your mouth is yummy or good for you. If you don't absolutely have to have it, replace it with something else! Always think before you eat. A moment on your lips, forever on your hips! Unless you burn it off by working out. Which brings me to another point. If you wanna indulge in something, do it earlier in the day so you have time to burn it off throughout the day.

I hope the above 5 simple tips can help you make smarter choices and improve your diet! :)