At some point in our lives we have all wanted to make changes in our diet to help us to lose weight or to simply eat a healthy well balanced diet. Too often we see fad diets being promoted on social media or in magazines. They are not good for you in the long run. I have always hated my weight and have embarked on some of the fad diets but now I am going through the menopause, I have a much better relationship with food and made simple changes that have been a great benefit in a healthier lifestyle.
Wholemeal
I used to eat white breads and pasta but I found they caused a lot of bloating which was very uncomfortable. It was during one of those moments that I decided to switch to wholemeal bread and pasta and the difference is incredible. There isn't much difference in taste and I much prefer it to what I was eating previously. The bloating has greatly reduced also.
Homemade Sauces
We used to buy jars of pasta sauce because it was more convenient but we got fed up with them, especially as they had so much added to them (salt, sugars etc) Now we make our own pasta sauce and it is much nicer and healthier. The kids prefer it too. It is so simple and quick to make. All you need is some passata, chopped tomatoes and mixed herbs. We also add a mixed veg to bulk it up. Fills you for longer and is tasty too.
Water
This might sound like an obvious one but it really does make a massive difference health wise. I drink 1.5l-2l per day. I feel much more invigorated, hydrated and my skin looks much healthier. If you don't like plain water, you can get some really nice flavoured water in most shops.
Zero Sugar Drinks
I like a fizzy drink but my usual go to drink doesn't sit well with me now. I swapped from the sugary version to the zero sugar. This means I can still get my fizzy juice fix and don't feel guilty about it. It was actually a doctor that gave me that advice when I was in hospital 2 years ago. If its good enough for a doctor, it's good enough for me!
Caffeine
This wont be a popular opinion but after I cut caffeine from my diet, which was hard to do not going to lie, I feel so much better. I know it is meant to give you a boost but I find without it I have a lot more energy and it also helped me to lose weight too. With increased heart rate/palpitations being one of my horrible meno symptoms, cutting caffeine was a wise move.
Everything In Moderation
It is a common misconception that you should cut out your favourite snacks and foods. You can still eat that bar of chocolate, that packet of crisps or that biscuit. I still have chocolate and crisps but I simply changed my usual ones for the under 100 calorie crisps. So things like Walkers Squares, Walkers French Fries, Quavers and Wotsits are fair game as far as I'm concerned!
Multivitamins
This is more of a personal choice (I took doctor's advice) but it is something to consider. For the last two years I have been taking a multivitamin. This isn't because I have a deficiency, I felt it was the right time to start taking them to give my body the boost it needs and it is in addition to the vitamins and minerals I get from my diet.
All of these changes combined have helped me to feel better in myself and have also contributed to my weight loss Making simple changes can make a massive difference. If you have any more ideas for a healthier diet, comment below and share with us..
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