Want to know how to eat better without dieting or turning to restrictive meal plans?   Here are 4 ways you can improve your nutrition almost instantly and begin to lose that unwanted weight.

Get Organised

You probably plan your work day effectively to get the most out of it, but do you do the same for your meals?

Working out what you’re eating ahead of time makes a huge difference to what (and how) you eat.   Ever stared into the cupboard or fridge and struggled to put together a meal? This is often followed by reaching for the easiest (and often not so healthy) thing you can find. We all do it from time to time, but those who are most successful, plan their meals in advance.   Aside from knowing exactly what you need for each meal, reducing wastage and being able to control portion size; the time and mental energy saved by not having to come up with a meal on the spot, when you’re at your hungriest, can be ploughed into other areas of your life. That and ultimately it will reduce the number of times you make decisions you may not have if you were organised.

Curb The Calorific Drinks

Let’s start by saying this is not a call for you to only drink water (although that wouldn’t be the worst idea…). And we’re certainly not talking to anyone who just likes a can of pop on occasion.

But many people enjoy drinking several high-calorie drinks throughout the day, especially if they’re on the road, or at their desk for long periods.

With just a few cans of soda or energy drink, you can easily put away a big chunk of your daily calorie intake. Add that to your meals and it doesn’t make for great results. By switching to a low-calorie or zero-calorie alternative, it’s one of the quickest ways to eat better without dieting, as you can very quickly and easily reduce your overall calorie intake (creating a calorie deficit is the main goal when looking for weight loss), without having to completely deny yourself the pleasure of a fizzy drink. While life is about balance, if your goal is to improve your health the ultimate goal here should be to limit your consumption in this area.

Promote Your Protein

Protein should be the boss of your plate (well you’re the boss… but protein can be your second in command).   Eating more protein:

• affects the response of hormones that deal with fat storage and muscle development, leading to less fat being stored in the body, and increased muscle growth.
• leads to an increased ‘thermic effect of food’ (how much energy your body uses to digest your food).
• helps maintain lean body mass (which is key to long term weight loss success).
• increases the feeling of fullness during and after meals, meaning you feel satisfied for longer and are less likely to overeat.

Protein dense foods include:

• Lean meats such as ground beef, chicken, turkey, venison
• Fish such as salmon, tuna, cod
• Eggs
• Dairy such as cottage cheese, greek yogurt, cheese etc.
• Beans, peas, legumes, tofu, tempeh, etc.
• Protein supplements whether milk-based (whey, casein, milk protein blends) or plant-based (pea, hemp, rice, soy)

To increase your protein intake quickly, just take the foods on the list that you already eat, and start to eat a little more of them, whilst eating a little less of your starchy carbs. Try to have a protein source at each meal and you’ll be making a good start.

Eat More Vegetables

The saying, “eat your greens!”, is probably still ringing in your ears from childhood. Increasing your veg intake is essential to any good diet and no less in ones aimed at weight loss.

Not only do vegetables have vital phytonutrients that help your body work the way it’s supposed to, but they also reduce acidity within your body. High acidity can lead to a decrease in bone and muscle mass, and as we mentioned earlier, muscle mass is important to losing weight and keeping it off.

Aside from all of that, vegetables tend to have a lower calorie density than other foods, so you can fill out your meals; again keeping you fuller for longer and reducing your daily calorie intake.

Don’t just eat your greens though. Eat your reds, your yellows, your oranges…. (you get the idea). As with protein, get some non-starchy vegetables on your plate at each meal, and just generally try to increase the colour on your plate.   These are four simple ways you can improve your nutrition straight away, to encourage weight loss, without having to go hungry.   Do you have any of your own tips on how to eat better without dieting? Let us know in the comments!   READ MORE: Check out our Top 11 Food & Drink Related Books video for some of our favourite recipes and go-to dishes! (links to these are in the description for you as well)   Subscribe to The Renaissaint’s Youtube channel here for similar content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1AWq1FOK8cZ9adUfePE3Gw
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