You hear all the time that “It is 90% diet” or “Results begin in the kitchen” but you STILL have a hard time with the diet part of your fitness program! It is so much easier to let these comments come in one ear and out the other because it is so much less work! Having to put in the time and energy into making smarter decisions in the kitchen sounds too overwhelming and No fun!  I want to share 8 simple ways you can improve your diet without feeling overwhelmed! If you commit to improving your diet one step at a time, you can start seeing the results you have been searching for!
1. Drink plenty of water each day. Water to keep your cells hydrated and protected! It is important to eliminate waste and get rid of toxins that do nothing but weigh you down and make you feel lethargic! Water not only keeps you hydrated but helps shuttle essential nutrients to your cells and non essential waste out of your body!
Tip: carry a 32 ounce water bottle with you at all times and aim to drink at least 2-3 a day! When you have water with you at all times, you are more likely to drink it!
2. Eat plenty of vegetables. Do not count your veggies as part of your nutritional breakdown for the day but see them as a free food!  Vegetables are very high in fiber, vitamin C, folic acid and minerals. They provide you with not only so many health benefits but help increase your metabolism, helping you burn body fat, because they make your body work hard to break down their fibrous properties!
Tip: Aim to try a new vegetable a week, you never know which one will become your new favorite! Try different ways to prepare them! They don’t have to be eaten raw or steamed! Try sautéing them or grilling them with olive oil and fresh garlic!
3. Avoid Drinking Soda. Whether it is diet or regular soda, soda pop should be completely eliminated from your diet! It has no nutritional value what so ever. A single can of regular soda contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar. This amount of sugar, increases blood sugar and causes an insulin reaction That can, over time, lead to diabetes or insulin resistance, not to mention weight gain and other health problems. Most diet sodas contain aspartame which can actually be more harmful so avoid soda all together!
Tip: Water does get boring so add a little extra flavor by slicing cucumbers, lemon or any kind of fruit!
4.  Avoid sugar whenever possible. Eating sugar causes blood sugar swings. Blood sugar increases immediately after consuming sugar, causing the body to produce insulin. Excess insulin creates a crash in blood sugar and more sugar cravings which can not only lead to insulin sensitivity,  stress on the pancreas, and a plethora of other medical issues but increased fat storage!
Tip: Use a natural no calorie sugar substitute such as Stevia, whenever possible, and find healthy alternatives to beat your sugar cravings.
5. Avoid refined carbohydrates: Did you know the average American gets 50% of their calories from refined carbohydrates!? Refined carbohydrates are grains that have had the fiber, vitamin E, B vitamins, bran and germ removed. In other words, the nutrients have been removed, leaving you with only the starch. They create all of the same health problems created by refined sugar. Refined carbohydrates may be easier because they don’t take as much preparation and they fill you up faster but they do not contain the vitamins and minerals like real wholesome non processed foods!
Tip: Read labels and look for “whole grain” not “enriched”. Look for labels with limited ingredients and if you can’t pronounce an ingredient listed, you most likely shouldn’t be consuming it!  Read labels carefully!
6. Eat before you go to bed. Don’t be afraid to eat before bedtime. Rather than being afraid to eat after a certain time, just be choosy about what you eat. You definitely want to eat a bedtime snack, since you will be “fasting” for several hours, while you sleep! Eating before you go to bed will help keep your metabolism going and burning while you sleep.
Tip: Stick with a lean protein and a fat source as a great go to nighttime snack. A few of my favorites are:
-Protein shake with chia seeds
-Greek yogurt with flaxseeds
-Egg white and veggie omelet
-No carb Pancake with 1 tbsp Almond butter (see recipe below)
Gina’s Nighttime No carb Pancake
Ingredients:
-1 scoop protein powder
-2 egg whites
-1 tsp baking powder
Cinnamon to taste
Mix and top off with a tbsp of almond butter.
7. Eat slowly! Eating slower and taking the time to chew your food helps for better digestion and to give your body the necessary time to tell you that you are full. Not chewing well stresses your digestive system and can lead to poor absorption, gas, bloating and over eating.
Tip: Allow yourself time before going for seconds to see if you really are indeed still hungry. I like to eat with chopsticks because they make me eat slower!
8. Never skip meals: Skipping meals stresses your adrenal glands and slows down your metabolism. If you are trying to lose weight, not eating is the opposite of what you want to do! Not eating frequently will cause fatigue, decreased metabolism, potential muscle loss, mental fog, and ultimately gain weight. You want to aim for as least 5 small frequent meals a day.
Tip: Don’t wait until you are starving to eat! That only causes the potential to over eat or eat the wrong thing. You should never be starving or full but always satisfied. Am to eat every 2.5-3 hours.