5 Simple Food Swaps to Kickstart Your Healthy Lifestyle

Hello there! Welcome back to the blog!

I know that when I first started to work on eating healthier, I struggled with figuring out where to start.

To help make starting a healthy diet easier, I’m sharing some simple food swaps you can make that don’t feel too much like a sacrifice.

1. SWAP WHITE RICE FOR BROWN RICE OR QUINOA

As a kid, I used to only eat white rice. I seriously used to think that brown rice was white rice with soy sauce on it (lol)! While white rice isn’t necessarily bad for you, by switching to brown rice you’re getting some more nutrients that aren’t in white rice. You also could use quinoa instead of rice to up the protein. Quinoa is a complete protein so if you don’t eat meat or just want something with some more protein, quinoa is a great alternative. I’ve made fried “rice” with quinoa before and seriously with all of the flavors you’re putting into the dish, it tastes the exact same!

2. SWAP PASTA FOR WHOLE-GRAIN OR LENTIL PASTA

Okay, guys don’t get me wrong here. I LOVE pasta. But, if you want to make pasta dishes at home a little more nutritious, opt for whole grain. I personally find that whole grain pasta tastes the same. Some people have told me they can taste a difference, but I can’t at all. Like the quinoa, if you want a little more protein you can go with lentil pasta. Now with this, I can taste a bit of a difference, but with sauce, it’s not very noticeable. I like to cook with whole-grain or lentil pasta when I make it at home, that way when I get pasta at a restaurant it’s even more of a treat.

3. SWAP SODA FOR SELTZER

I get it. Soda is good. But if you’re drinking regular soda, you’re consuming so much sugar and a hefty amount of calories! Diet soda is a great first swap to make, but even then it’s still not the best for you. I love a good Diet Coke as much as the next girl, but I try to keep my soda consumption to only when I’m out at restaurants. If you want something tasty to drink that’s better for you, try seltzers! I personally hate the taste of regular seltzer but give me a lemon or berry flavor and I am SET.

4. SWAP REGULAR YOGURT FOR GREEK YOGURT

Greek yogurt has much more protein than regular yogurt and typically has less sugar as well. Swapping regular yogurt for Greek yogurt will get you more protein which will help to keep you fuller longer.

5. SWAP MICROWAVE POPCORN WITH AIR-POPPED POPCORN

Popcorn can be a nice snack with tons of fiber and not a lot of calories. However, microwaveable popcorn usually has a lot of butter that takes away from the healthiness of it. Instead, buy some kernels and pop them on the stove! This also allows you to season the popcorn afterward if you want and have total control over how much is on it. Try some salt and pepper, or even go for a sweeter route by putting some cinnamon on top!

And there you have it! 5 simple swaps to get you started on eating healthy! Know of any other swaps? Leave them in the comments below!

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