How to Change Your Diet for the Better in 2022

Improvement is rarely a straight-forward path. Rather, sometimes improvement feels like two steps forward for every one step back. Nevertheless, don’t let past failures in executing changes to your diet keep you from achieving your new health goals for the year 2022. Here are three tips on how you can implement a diet that is both healthier and sustainable.

Reduce Processed Foods

An unfortunate truth about life is that convenience tends to come at the expense of quality. And this adage not only applies to clothing, but to the food we put into our bodies. This is especially the case when it comes to processed foods which are made with additives and preservatives that—though delicious tasting, inexpensive, and long-lasting—tend to be detrimental to one’s health.

It might seem like a daunting task to eliminate processed foods if most of what you consume includes fast food and freezer meals. For this reason, it may be best not to completely eliminate processed foods from your diet, but rather to decrease your intake of processed food a little bit at a time. For example, rather than going out to eat, try meal prepping homemade lunches instead—a convenient and healthier option.   

Get More Vegetables

The benefits of incorporating more vegetables into your diet are endless. For example, crunchy vegetables have all kinds of benefits, including for your dental health. Eating more vegetables helps you feel full for longer and keeps you from grazing throughout the day. Furthermore, vegetables are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that reduce your risk of chronic illnesses and improve your overall health. If you struggle eating vegetables, try preparing them in a new way. For example, if you hate raw vegetables, try steaming them instead. Or, puree them into a soup or smoothie—you won’t even know they are there!

Drink More Water

Yes—you have probably been told all your life that you need to drink more water. But as annoying as it might be to hear it again, water really is one of the most essential elements to a healthy diet. Without drinking enough water, it doesn’t matter what other changes you make in your diet—water is what keeps your body functional, carrying all those important vitamins and minerals to your organs and removing all the waste. One of the best ways to ensure you are getting enough water is to carry around a water bottle everywhere you go.

The start of a new year is the perfect time to take a good look at your life and recommit to improvement. Yet, don’t make the mistake of completely overwhelming yourself at the beginning. Instead, make plans for steady, but gradual, improvement and you will see yourself achieving goals you never thought possible.

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