Tired of complicated diets? Try these easy health tips instead!

Keto, vegan, paleo, low carb… Must I go on?

It's true, as health science continues progressing and as people aim to live out healthier lifestyles, diets of all forms are beginning to manifest and gain in popularity. And these diets are amazing. They are effective and they have been proven to work with pure factual information. But that doesn't change the fact that in the end, each of these diets are quite a bit intricate.

They take a lot of time to really learn what the diet is all about, and also adjusting your entire lifestyle to utilize the different food groups and nutrients that each provides is quite a complicated process. Your grocery run changes, your food budget changes, your nightly dinner ritual changes. Maybe you have kids that don't necessarily want to eat that all vegan dessert or a husband/wife who could care less about carb intake. 

If you can navigate these challenges accordingly, then that is absolutely fantastic and amazing for you, and with such, you will surely see a difference in your weight and health. That doesn't mean, however, that if you simply cannot bring yourself to the full commitment required of these rather complicating diets that there is not a plethora of other easy to implement strategies, techniques, and tips that will help you to do the same in regards to maintaining a healthier lifestyle. 

Stick around and read through some of our simple health and diet tips to help you shed a few pounds and form a smile as you look and feel really good without much effort!

Trade out the Sugar!

Sugar really is pure evil in terms of your health. It is scattered heavily throughout a lot of our favorite snacks and foods, and Americans consume an average of 3 pounds of sugar in just a week! For that statistic and plenty of other reasons to further instill a need to limit sugar intake, check out this website!

You see, the problem with sugar is that it is a sneaky little devil. That is because sugar isn't only the fluffy white stuff. Oh no, the family tree of sugar spans into anything that is full of calories and maintains an otherwise empty nutrition value. That means sugar is also technically:

• Glucose 
• High Fructose Corn Syrup 
• Dextrose 
• Molasses 

And so much more...

So when the realization arises that sugar is packed into nearly everything we eat, and the fact that it is extremely high in calories of which give us absolutely no other benefit, the act of working to trade out sugar in your diet is an extremely effective in helping you to lose weight and in general feel a heck of a lot better. 

And by trading out sugar, we mean pinpointing some of the foods and drinks of which you consume consistently that are high in sugar, and in turn, trading those out for similar tasting low sugar options that also provide a much higher nutritional content. Take time to think of some of the commercial snacks you eat a lot of and simply research some similar options. You will be amazed at just how many ways you can creatively consume healthy, low sugar yet super tasty snacks. 

It takes effort and your tastebuds will indeed have to slightly adjust, as sugar is extremely addictive, but with time your cravings will subside. Just know that by drinking seltzer instead of a soda you are doing your body and health so much good, and use this positivity to create consistency around the habits of trading sugar out for healthier options. 

Eat Foods that Increase Metabolism 

Enhancing your metabolism is a keystone element to helping you in losing weight, as the faster your metabolism, the faster you will naturally burn calories when both resting and during exercise. And burning calories equals losing weight! 

So yes, if your health goals are to instead gain weight and muscle, and your metabolism is already fast, then these tips might not be for you. 

The awesome thing about increasing your metabolism is that there are so many ways to do so completely naturally and with health-focused foods! Not only will the foods and nutrients provided by such make burning calories faster, but they also provide a range of other benefits that help you to feel full without fat packed and processed snacks.

Take for example the fact that protein-rich foods help to increase metabolism naturally. By locating clean, organic forms of protein (like organic salmon or legumes) and eating those, you will simultaneously lend your body an ally in burning calories while filling yourself up on nutrient-rich foods that also help to build muscle. A two-for-two, win-win situation! 

There is a lot of science and a lot of information all about how to incorporate foods that benefit metabolism into your diet, so for some more information on the subject feel free to visit this website and further inform yourself. But remember, eating foods that help you increase your metabolism is a really easy strategy at helping you to lose weight and feel healthier, so act on this with effort and you will revel in the rewards!

Healthy Day Snacks for the Win! 

Snacking throughout the day can be detrimental to your weight loss goals on one end of the spectrum, but it can also be an amazing asset to helping you reach those goals on the other; and this all depends on HOW you choose to snack. 

Filling yourself up with high calorie and high fat processed foods throughout the day and in between major meals can easily propel you far past your set calorie intake for the day, leading to further weight gain. But keeping yourself mildly full with healthy snack options can be very beneficial when the snacks are nutritional, and this can help to further prevent any stuffing yourself during dinner (also not good for weight loss).

It is so easy to munch snacks and not feel full, and the simple act of switching your snacks out for some much healthier options goes a long way. For a ‘healthy snack’, we are looking for one that is of course low in sugar as per the above point, but also one that provides you with a low calorie intake while giving you some form of energy and nutrient gain. The best part about healthy snacks is that they also tend to be extremely easy!

Take nuts, for example. Great for reducing the risk of heart disease and, although they are high in fat, are also known to fill you up very quickly! This means that less really is more, and there are so many similar snacks that benefit your health while keeping you full and fulfilled throughout the day. 

Smoothies are also an amazing way to provide yourself with a snack that is insanely packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients; especially green smoothies. Smoothies are generally low on calories and can, in just one serving, give you the fruit intake you need throughout the entire day. A great way to fill in that those in-between meal times and they taste really, really yummy, and who is complaining about that?

If you want some amazing smoothie recipes, look no further than our article here for your complete guide to five really tasty and health boosting smoothie recipes. 

Two Meatless Dinners a Week!

Going vegetarian and vegan has become a trend with increasing popularity not only because the animals greatly benefit, but also because with these types of diets arises a plethora of health amplifying characteristics. Vegetarian and vegan diets are known to reduce the chance of certain cancers, help you to lose weight, reduce the risk of heart disease and so much more. 

By eliminating meat you are also eliminating a whole lot of hard to digest, calorie and fat packed foods that slow metabolism and increase weight gain. Sure, meat is packed with protein, but there are also so many other ways to get the same amount of protein without the ‘bad for your heart’ cholesterol that comes with meat. 

And the awesome thing is that you do not have to go completely vegetarian or vegan to eliminate meat! Instead, just take it easy and do your BEST to reduce meat intake, something as simple as implementing a ritual of two meatless dinners a night will do. The important thing to note here is that even the smallest of health milestones and choices have amazing impacts.

And with that, it is also important to mention that when trading out a few dinners for meatless meals, make sure to use/cook raw vegetables and stay away from the processed ‘faux alternatives’ like the meatless meat as they really do not do you that much good. 

Eat your food slowly!

For this easy health tip, you do not have to change your diet at all and it still has to do with food! Did you know that eating your food slowly actually helps you to lose weight? That, and I can promise you that you will feel a whole lot better and less bloated after a big meal if you eat your food slowly. By eating slowly we mean chewing your food to the fullest extent and taking a moment to breathe in between bites. 

By the way, we are fortunate to eat tasty meals daily, so eating slowly will also remind you to enjoy this fact and the wonderful flavors we are lucky to enjoy. With the knowledge of this also know that when purchasing a Farm Brand product you can choose to donate 5% of the purchase to a charity dedicated to the act of fighting hunger. 

Make a diligent effort before you eat to remember the concept of eating slowly, and after some simple brain training this will become something you do naturally. Our bodies love doing things that make us feel good, and by realizing how much healthier and happier your stomach is after eating in a calm and collected manner, this will surely become a habit. With time you will begin to realize the weight loss and other health benefits that come with chewing and eating your food slowly, and you will be happy you did not start doing so any later! 

For a whole lot more science behind this, read this article here for some incredible information! 

This article has been brought to you by your friends at Farm Brand.