Eating in a healthy manner really has a negative stigma attached to it. I mean, who wants to eat carrot sticks when you could be going to your local hamburger joint and ordering the lot!
I am by no means a good cook, but there are some very simple tips that you could take on board to enhance the "enjoyability" of your nutritional regime.
Making Healthy Eating More Enjoyable Tip #1: Use Healthy Sauces!
Sauce!? Healthy eating requires you to eat bare meats and veggies doesn't it? Well, not quite. Sure, it's ideal to cut out the creamy and fatty sauces, but why not opt for a tomato based sauce? You'd be surprised how low in calories a healthy bolognaise sauce can be!
Plus, check out the ingredients in salsa. There is often a little sugar added, but it's primarily tomato, capsicum and spices - which is actually quite healthy for you. Better yet - make your own so it's all fresh and tasty!
Low-fat dressings are also a great compliment to salads. Avoid using the really fatty dressings to excess, because they can really increase your daily caloric intake.
Making Healthy Eating More Enjoyable Tip #2: Use Variety in Your Cooking
Don't eat canned tuna, muesli and steamed veggies all day, every day. Mix it up.
Try having a wholegrain burrito with lean mince, salad and low-fat cheese with salsa. Then, give a stir-fry a go with an oyster sauce, chicken and vegetables. For your next dinner, have a hamburger with wholegrain toast, a lean beef patty and salad (with a bit of sauce). You could also have a roast dinner with beef and vegetables. Or what about grilled salmon and a salad with low-fat dressing?
The possibilities are endless. It is important to eat a wide variety of food, not only for your general health and well-being, but your ability to sustain a healthy approach to eating in the long-term.
Making Healthy Eating More Enjoyable Tip #3: Treat Yourself
It doesn't hurt to have a treat every once in a while. In fact, I believe that treating yourself is healthy from a psychological standpoint. After all, "healthy" extends far beyond the nutritional components contained within food! It is by no means healthy to spend half the day thinking about that chocolate that you just cannot have!
The key is to watch what junk food you consume. You may be the type of person who really doesn't need junk food - so don't have it! But if you really enjoy a drink every now and then, or treating yourself to some sweets, enjoy them on the odd occasion. If you can control the amount of "treats" that you consume, then you would have obtained a great balance between your lifestyle and eating in a healthy manner.
