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5 Simple Diet Changes

August 13, 2014 by Lindsay 105 Comments

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Setting goals or making resolutions to live healthier can be overwhelming. Try these 5 Simple Diet Changes to start getting healthy today!

Setting goals or making resolutions to live healthier can be overwhelming. Try these 5 Simple Diet Changes to start getting healthy today!

Hi Friends!

As a Registered Dietitian, people often ask me for advice about changes they should make to their diet. I’m a firm believer that nutrition is very individualized and that everyone has different needs, but I do believe there are a few simple diet changes that most people could benefit from. Here they are:

Setting goals or making resolutions to live healthier can be overwhelming. Try these 5 Simple Diet Changes to start getting healthy today!

1) Start reading the ingredient list

I try to limit the amount of processed foods I buy and try to make some of my favorite snacks and basic items like Whole Wheat Tortillas, bread, etc from scratch…but let’s be honest, I do still buy them. That’s not wrong, it’s realistic.  When I do buy packaged food, I do my best to make the best choices possible. Before I even look at the numbers on the nutrition label, I look at the ingredient list.

Basically, the golden rule is: Simple is best. The fewer and/or more recognizable the ingredients the better!

Look for ingredient lists that are short and made up of ingredients you recognize and can pronounce. Remember that ingredients are listed in descending order by amount used, so if sugar is listed first, there’s probably a lot of sugar in the product.

If you don’t typically pay attention to ingredient lists, you might be in for a bit of a shock. However, once you take the time to start going through the labels on the foods you typically buy, you’ll be able to make healthier choices in the future.

Setting goals or making resolutions to live healthier can be overwhelming. Try these 5 Simple Diet Changes to start getting healthy today!
2) Eat more healthy fats

If I could wave my magic wand and make one diet trend go away, it would be the low-fat craze. Every since the 1980’s when people were encouraged to start reducing their saturated fat intake, low-fat products have been all the rage. Here’s the thing: low-fat isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be. Most do not taste as good as their full-fat counterparts on their own. This means that other things, namely sugar & salt, have to be added to the low-fat versions to make consumers want to eat them. And since obesity rates have continued to climb over the past 30 years, it’s becoming more and more clear that fat may not be totally to blame for our nutrition problems.

In fact, I’m a huge advocate of making sure your diet includes healthy fats! They’re super filling, full of nutrients and in many cases, increasing your healthy fat intake can help you decrease your intake of refined carbs and added sugars, which many believe cause more healthy problems than fat.  In addition, full-fat products are often made with minimal ingredients and not a lot of added junk. (See #1- check the ingredient list!)

For most of my clients, some of the first changes we make involve cutting back on processed foods- I’m a huge fan of replacing store-bought favorites with homemade versions made with real ingredients- and adding healthy fats. Just a reminder that fats are higher in calories, even healthy fats, so portion size is important.

Here are five of my favorite healthy fats with some suggestions how you can add them to your day, no matter what meal you’re eating:

Avocado:

  • Breakfast: Smash and spread on toast, top with fried eggs.
  • Lunch: Add a smear or a few slices to your sandwich.
  • Dinner: Chop and add to your salad.
  • Snack: Smash some into your tuna salad and eat with whole wheat crackers

Eggs:

  • Breakfast: Make an omelet stuffed with veggies.
  • Lunch: Enjoy a giant chop salad with veggies, lean meat and hardboiled eggs.
  • Diner: Whip up a stir fry, add a couple of scrambled eggs and serve over rice.
  • Snack: Grab a few hardboiled eggs to eat on the run!

Nuts and Seeds:

  • Breakfast: Use as a topping for your oatmeal or blend into a smoothie.
  • Lunch: Add to baked goods like bars or muffins for an extra dose of nutrients.
  • Dinner: Make a nut butter sauce to add flavor or crush and use as a breading for chicken or fish.
  • Snack: Make a big batch of trail mix and portion into snack packs for the week.

Full-fat yogurt:

  • Breakfast: Add to your smoothie for a breakfast on the run!
  • Lunch: Make tzatziki sauce to add to your pita or try a homemade ranch dip for your veggies.
  • Dinner: Add to your favorite recipe for burgers or meatloaf to add moisture or use it in a marinade.
  • Snack: Mix with fruit, nuts etc and freeze for a frozen treat.

Salmon:

  • Breakfast: Combine some leftover salmon, a couple scrambled eggs and cheese to make a breakfast quesadilla.
  • Lunch: Use as a topping for your nachos to change things up from traditional chicken or beef.
  • Dinner: Try topping with lemon slices and grilling on a cedar plank.
  • Snack: Make a batch of sliders to have ready for a high-protein post workout snack

If you’re interested in more of the science behind eating more fat, check out this great blog post my friend and fellow RD Anne wrote. 

Setting goals or making resolutions to live healthier can be overwhelming. Try these 5 Simple Diet Changes to start getting healthy today!
3) Choose your produce wisely

If you want to take things a bit farther than just getting the recommended servings of fruits and veggies each day, be smart about the produce you’re buying. When it comes to fruits and veggies, it’s often said that fresh is best. My opinion is that you should consider the options in your area and make the best choice based on what’s available to you. Local produce is about as fresh as it gets. Available at farmer’s markets, in CSA’s or sometimes in the grocery stores, it travels short distances and is often picked very shortly before being sold. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where local produce is available year-round, definitely take advantage of it if you can. If not, there are other options for those months when most produce is not in season.

When you see produce on the grocery store shelves, it’s often not as fresh as you think. You have to factor in the time between picking and shipping, plus travel time- often across the country, the time it sits on the shelves in the store and the time it sits in your fridge at home. During all of that time, it’s losing valuable nutrients. For this reason, considering frozen or canned veggies can be a great option. These veggies are picked at the peak of freshness and then frozen or canned to lock in the nutrients! If you choose canned fruits, look for those canned in their own juices, not syrup. For veggies, look for no-salt-added or low sodium options and give them a good rinse before using! Since cans can be a source of BPA, I tend to favor frozen. They’re especially great in the winter months for throwing into soups, casseroles, stirfries and more!

As far as buying organic, everyone has to make a decision about what works for their family. Organic has its benefits, but it also usually comes with a higher price tag. If you’re looking for a starting point about what to consider buying organic, check out the Dirty Dozen.

Setting goals or making resolutions to live healthier can be overwhelming. Try these 5 Simple Diet Changes to start getting healthy today!

4) Cut back on added sugars

Like I mentioned above, there is more and more research coming out that indicates sugar is a huge part of the obesity problem we’re facing today. So many foods are filled with added sugars.

When I graduated from college and needed to lose some weight after a party-filled semester studying abroad, one of the first things I did was cut back on added sugars. I started experimenting with using less sugar when baking and I studied nutrition labels (and ingredient lists!) to see just how much sugar was in the foods I was eating.  To give you a visual, remember that 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon of sugar….so if you’re eating a product that has 12 grams of sugar per serving, you’re consuming 3 teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Once you start looking, you’ll notice added sugars in things like peanut butter, flavored yogurt, sauces, bread, cereals, processed foods and much more. Learn some of the alternate names for sugar such as words ending in -ose, syrups, etc. Nutrition labels are currently in the process of being revamped and one of the proposed changes is to add a line for added sugars so consumers can easily tell how much of the sugar occurs naturally in a product and how much is added sugar. Until those changes occur, use the ingredient list to check for added sugars and remember the closer it is to the beginning of the list, the more sugar there is in the product!

I always recommend making things yourself when possible so you can control the ingredients. If you like to bake, slowly start cutting back on the sugar you add to your cookies, make the switch from sugary peanut butters to those just make with peanuts, etc. It may take some time, but your body will adjust and the extra sweetness will no longer be necessary. You can also experiment with replacing refined sugars with more natural sources like fruit (bananas, applesauce, dates). Just remember that these are still sources of sugar, even if they’re natural.

As far as artificial sweeteners go, do your research and make the choices that’s best for you. I personally choose to avoid them as much as possible.

Setting goals or making resolutions to live healthier can be overwhelming. Try these 5 Simple Diet Changes to start getting healthy today!

5) Start Doing Sunday Food Prep

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you know how I feel about food prep. Just a little bit of time in the kitchen on the weekend (or your day off) can play a huge role in keeping you on track during a busy week. I do my best to prep food every Sunday. I’ve written previously about my Top 10 Foods For Sunday Food Prep and  10 Foods That Freeze Well, Plus every Sunday I post a food prep inspiration post sharing my food prep as well as food prep photos submitted by readers. CLICK HERE to check out some of these posts for ideas!

[Tweet “5 simple ways to make your diet a little healthier via @leangrnbeanblog!”]

Whew…ok so this got a little long, sorry about that…but hopefully it gives you some ideas and inspiration for a few healthy diet changes that anyone can make!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

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About Lindsay

Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. GiGi Eats says

    August 13, 2014 at 12:23 AM

    I couldn’t agree with you more, especially on the consuming more HEALTHY fats! People should not fear saturated fats anymore! Instead they should embrace it, as they should the omega-3 fatty acids in fish! 🙂 I also completely agree with reading ingredients labels! As I have mentioned in some of my videos, there are some extremely sneaky ingredients in foods that essentially are masking their true identities under names we just cannot say or pronounce! I hate that the world of eating/food has to be so dang complicated! However, it really doesn’t – as long as we stick to whole foods 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:07 AM

      yep! whole foods are where it’s at!

      Reply
  2. Kaylin @ Enticing Healthy Eating says

    August 13, 2014 at 12:39 AM

    Wow, this is a very valuable resource to health and nutrition coaches! Thank you! I will definitely be using this as a reference with my future holistic health coaching clients. This is what I already tell them, but summarized very nicely and in a pretty form.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:07 AM

      thanks so much for sharing! glad you like it!

      Reply
  3. Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says

    August 13, 2014 at 12:46 AM

    Great tips! I remember when I started reading labels… I couldn’t believe how much sodium and sugar was added to everything. Even veggies! It was a big eye-opener.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:06 AM

      i know! i’m constantly finding things packed with unnecessary sodium! so annoying!

      Reply
  4. Arman @ thebigmansworld says

    August 13, 2014 at 3:33 AM

    Awesome tips buddy! I actually remember buying a loaf of ‘100% whole wheat bread’ in America thinking it was as stipulated…the second ingredient was HFCS and there was also sugars in it too!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:06 AM

      yep. craziness.

      Reply
  5. Shelley says

    August 13, 2014 at 3:56 AM

    Thanks for this! I’ve really been thinking about cutting sugar and processed foods out of my diet, and I found it very interesting how highly you regard frozen veggies. I never thought about the freshness factor before.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:06 AM

      They’re a great option for sure!

      Reply
  6. Lauren says

    August 13, 2014 at 4:59 AM

    This is an awesome post for people getting started out on the road to a healthy diet 🙂
    I think people can get overwhelmed when they start out and this list is an amazing start 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:06 AM

      it’s definitely easy to get overwhelmed…that’s why i like people to start with just a few changes at a time!

      Reply
  7. Angela @ Happy Fit Mama says

    August 13, 2014 at 5:03 AM

    I think once people start REALLY learning labels and seeing what is in their food, something clicks. Who wants to eat something that has words you can’t pronounce?

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:05 AM

      exactly! it’s eye opening!

      Reply
  8. Hollie says

    August 13, 2014 at 5:10 AM

    Thanks for sharing these. One thing I’ve tried hard to work on is cutting back on the refined and extra sugars. I’ve always felt better when I do…it’s just getting to be motivated enough to do it, you know?

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:05 AM

      definitely! motivation can be tricky for a lot of people!

      Reply
  9. Coco says

    August 13, 2014 at 5:22 AM

    Great tips. I am a label reader, but need to cut back on that sugar!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:05 AM

      one of the hardest things to do!

      Reply
  10. Jennifer says

    August 13, 2014 at 7:02 AM

    Some great tips. Thank you. x

    Reply
  11. Carla says

    August 13, 2014 at 7:04 AM

    my sixth would be the added SALT.
    ((hangs head))

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:05 AM

      that would be next on my list as well!

      Reply
  12. lindsay says

    August 13, 2014 at 7:13 AM

    you know i love when you talk nutrition to me… hehe

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:05 AM

      always 😉

      Reply
  13. Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says

    August 13, 2014 at 7:20 AM

    YES!! So simple but GREAT advice!

    Reply
  14. Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says

    August 13, 2014 at 7:52 AM

    I love that you started with read labels- it’s amazing how many people have no idea what they’re putting in their bodies!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:04 AM

      i remember how shocked i was, and still am, when i started reading labels!

      Reply
  15. Kim @ FITsique says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:01 AM

    Great tips! I think reading the food labels and preparing your food ahead of time are two of the biggest changers for people. If they start to understand nutritional value and PLAN AHEAD they do a lot better than someone given a “diet” to follow!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:04 AM

      yes! i’m all about giving people the tools to help them instead of just doing it for them!

      Reply
  16. Melissa @ Freeing Imperfections says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:09 AM

    I love all of these! They are so doable. I think I get really overwhelmed about diet a lot and think that it has to be complicated or hard to be healthy, but it’s so much simpler than that. Thanks for this post!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:04 AM

      yep! definitely some simple things you can do to ease into it!

      Reply
  17. Heather (Where's the Beach) says

    August 13, 2014 at 8:52 AM

    Great tips! I think label reading is really important and the fewer the ingredients the better. I’m also with you on food prep (though I’m hit or miss with it) but at least laying out a meal plan for the week certainly helps.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 9:04 AM

      i agree! a meal plan is just as helpful for some as doing the actual food prep!

      Reply
  18. Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:10 AM

    Thank you so much for this fantastic list and for writing it scientifically and encouraging to make their own choices on things like organic produce and artificial sweeteners. It’s nice to read a post about healthy eating without any spin on it. I’ve been working on cleaning up my diet lately which has had a huge, positive impact on my running, so I’ll definitely be incorporating your tips as I continue to eat better and cleaner. Thanks again!

    Reply
  19. kristin says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:16 AM

    great tips! sometimes i get so freaked out by ingredient lists…

    Reply
  20. Jaclyn @ BumpSweat says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:19 AM

    Excellent tips! I used to be such a calorie-counter, only checking the label to see how many of those and fat grams were in each serving. Not anymore; now I pay much less attention to that and focus instead on the ingredients. And my body does so much better fueled with several of the healthy fats you mentioned. Awesome post!

    Reply
  21. Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:23 AM

    All fabulous ideas! I think the biggest one for me is reading the labels. Companies sneak in so many unhealthy ingredients that it’s SO important to do your research and pay attention to what’s in your food products.

    Reply
  22. Dietitian Jess says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:28 AM

    Love this post and as a fellow RD I definitely agree on every one. Ingredients list is definitely one thing I really stress… people should know and care about what they are putting directly into their bodies! Your food prep posts have inspired me to start doing more food prep over the last year, but mine is not quite as elaborate as yours!

    Reply
  23. Stephanie @ My Freckled Life says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:37 AM

    Such a great post! While moat of these are ideas moat of us have probably heard before, you did a great job of putting them together in such a simple manner. It’s hard to argue with the simple truth! This is such a great resource for anyone new to making healthier food choice, and a great reminder to anyone who has been doing this for awhile!

    Reply
  24. Jody - Fit at 56 says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:46 AM

    Nothing to add – I so agree. I am a MAJOR label reader! Hubby hates to shop with me. 🙂

    Reply
  25. Jody - Fit at 56 says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:46 AM

    http://truth2beingfit.com/2014/08/thoughts-on-depression-some-personal-insights/

    Did not read my most recent post…

    Reply
  26. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:11 AM

    I definitely need to look into buying more frozen veggies. Not only do they tend to be cheaper, but they are often times easier to prepare too!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:13 AM

      for sure! my freezer is overflowing bc they were just on sale 🙂

      Reply
  27. Haley @ Running with Diapers says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:12 AM

    Lindsay, I couldn’t agree with you more on each and every one of these changes. I feel like I go around preaching these to family and friends all the time. Glad to hear it come from someone else for a change.
    I’m blasting this on Facebook and Twitter right now!!!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:13 AM

      Thanks so much Haley!

      Reply
  28. Becca from It's Yummi! says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:19 AM

    I absolutely LOVE these tips, Lindsay! Thanks so much for pulling together such helpful info <3

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:13 AM

      you’re welcome! glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  29. Laura @FitMamaLove says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:32 AM

    This is a great list that shows how simple it is to make the switch to healthier eating.

    It’s so important to check labels! I once grabbed a can of tomatoes not even thinking to check something like that and found high fructose corn syrup on the label after I got home. It was a good reminder that I need to always check even the simplest things.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:13 AM

      definitely been there! i’m constantly reminding myself to check things!

      Reply
  30. Susie @ SuzLyfe says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:35 AM

    It’s amazing how simple it is to eat healthfully, if you just pay attention and take a deep breath. We just like to over complicate things, don’t we!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:13 AM

      yes we do indeed!

      Reply
  31. She Rocks Fitness says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:39 AM

    Sugar I think is the biggest culprit…Once you start taking a closer look at the ingredients, the sugar can add up so so so quickly! Oh and all those delicious healthy fats…I love fats! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:13 AM

      fats rock 🙂

      Reply
  32. Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:42 AM

    Great tips! I’m really working on cutting back my sugar intake. It’s everywhere!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:12 AM

      it is! such a challenge!

      Reply
  33. Dana P. says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:48 AM

    Such great tips!! I especially love your suggestions for including more healthy fats at every meal. I tend to get in the habit of certain foods for certain meals, but I love the idea of salmon for breakfast or Greek yogurt at dinnertime.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:12 AM

      i agree. it’s fun to change things up every once and a while and have “dinner” foods at breakfast or vice versa!

      Reply
  34. Kirtley Freckleton@The Gist of Fit says

    August 13, 2014 at 10:50 AM

    LOVE this post. Super real, super true, super helpful!

    My family is obsessed with the low fat stuff…if it’s low fat, they think they can have lots of it bc they won’t be affected by it.

    I’m a huge fan of 100% fat for dairy–and all those healthy fats you mentioned. Awesome.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:12 AM

      thanks so much Kirtley!

      Reply
  35. HappyForks.com says

    August 13, 2014 at 11:02 AM

    You should add one more tips- forget about highly processed products like ready to eat frozen meals or fast food and buy only unprepared, fresh and whole grain products.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 11:12 AM

      definitely another great tip!

      Reply
  36. Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says

    August 13, 2014 at 11:18 AM

    Great small tips that make a huge difference

    Reply
  37. Serena says

    August 13, 2014 at 11:36 AM

    GREAT post! All those Sunday prep photos look so cool together! (:

    Reply
  38. Amanda @ .running with spoons. says

    August 13, 2014 at 11:56 AM

    Love the tips, lady! And I especially love how simple they all are. I feel like sometimes people get overwhelmed and discouraged by healthy living because of how complicated some people can make it out to be, when it really is so simple!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 2:45 PM

      i agree. trying to spread the word that it doesn’t have to be that hard!

      Reply
  39. Running Hutch says

    August 13, 2014 at 12:31 PM

    yes, yes, yes, yes, and YES! Although my food prep day is Tuesday. 😉

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 2:45 PM

      nothin’ wrong with that!

      Reply
  40. Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says

    August 13, 2014 at 12:50 PM

    you nailed it dear..im so glad i have walked away from sugar-free, fat-free stuff because before I was all about that. Healthy Living is really all about going back to basics and rejoicing food and health rather than starving and pumping chemicals.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 2:44 PM

      so, so true!

      Reply
  41. Diana @sosmallsostrong says

    August 13, 2014 at 1:37 PM

    These are super helpful tips, great reminders too! I just started incorporating regular yogurt into my diet and honestly, I’m loving it!

    Thanks lady. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 2:44 PM

      woohoo! glad to hear it!

      Reply
  42. Alex says

    August 13, 2014 at 2:06 PM

    Great list! Totally agree with you on the fats and reducing sugars! I try to reduce sugars as much as possible and I obviously love fats 🙂 Avocado on everything is my motto 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 2:44 PM

      I think that’s a great motto 🙂

      Reply
  43. Heather @ FITaspire says

    August 13, 2014 at 2:27 PM

    I absolutely love this – great tips to help focus on some healthy changes!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 2:44 PM

      Thanks so much Heather!

      Reply
  44. Cassie says

    August 13, 2014 at 3:55 PM

    These are amazing tips – definitely agree with all of them!! Great job, Lindsay!!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 13, 2014 at 7:03 PM

      Thanks so much Cassie!

      Reply
  45. Michele says

    August 13, 2014 at 6:44 PM

    Great post, Lindsay!

    Reply
  46. Lauren says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:10 PM

    Lindsay, this is great! Such simple & actionable steps…that definitely make all the difference. I’d also add switch up your beverages + add more water!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 15, 2014 at 8:01 AM

      yes! that’s a great one as well!

      Reply
  47. Karey @ Nutty About Health says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:16 PM

    I really LOVE this list!!! Great post Lindsey! Definitely going to spread this around – I couldn’t agree more with all 5 things! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 15, 2014 at 8:00 AM

      thanks Karey!

      Reply
  48. Linz @ Itz Linz says

    August 13, 2014 at 9:54 PM

    i’m pretty sure healthy fats are my favorite foods ever

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 15, 2014 at 8:00 AM

      what’s not to love ?!

      Reply
  49. Handmade by Lorna says

    August 14, 2014 at 3:41 AM

    Great post and some really great advice – It is nice to see that I am doing some things right – will never get a taste for avocado tho 🙁 I really enjoyed this post, thank you.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 15, 2014 at 8:00 AM

      good news is there’s plenty more healthy fats out there to try!

      Reply
  50. Renee says

    August 14, 2014 at 2:00 PM

    Whole 30 taught me a lot about reading food labels! I found sugar in my salts and in foods where it had NO business being. It was a real eye opener into the fact that most of us assume table salt is JUST table salt and it’s not. There are adders and fillers in most everything we eat now. I stick to the basics. Great tips!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 15, 2014 at 7:58 AM

      so true! so many fillers!!!

      Reply
  51. Kaila @healthyhelperblog! says

    August 15, 2014 at 7:44 AM

    Such a great post Lindsay! It just goes to show that healthy eating isn’t as hard as some people think! Just a few simple changes make a big difference!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 15, 2014 at 7:57 AM

      yes they do!

      Reply
  52. Stuart says

    August 16, 2014 at 3:37 AM

    Great tips, I’m going to save/bookmark this somehow and use it as a reference page as there is some seriously great info here. The “freshness” of food was a real eye opener for me.

    Reply
  53. Nicole says

    August 17, 2014 at 8:00 AM

    Great post! In addition to following your great tips, I follow the ‘eat seasonally’ approach. I’m loading up on cucs, zucs, etc. now and will switch to all things squash soon!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 18, 2014 at 1:21 PM

      always a great approach!

      Reply
  54. Lauren @ Sassy Molassy says

    August 20, 2014 at 1:14 PM

    Tortillas is one of the areas that really aggravates me when I grocery shop! They are all filled with crap. Only a few local brands have just a minimal number of ingredients in them, so it always requires lots of label checking. And we recently subscribed to a local organic CSA and we get a TON of awesome veggies weekly for only $18!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 21, 2014 at 9:27 AM

      i agree. so many unnecessary ingredients in tortillas! that’s why i started making my own!

      Reply
  55. Kaitlin says

    August 28, 2014 at 10:32 AM

    Sugar is definitely my weak spot and an area in which I need to focus on! Crazy how companies pack it in their products.

    Reply

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Lindsay Livingston The Lean Green Bean Healthy Living Tips and Tricks

I'm a Registered Dietitian and mom of three from Columbus, Ohio. I use this blog to share simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and an honest glimpse of motherhood!

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