I can't believe we are already on day 23 in establishing our healthy habits! If you are just finding my series, you can sign up to receive them all here or find the list of links here.
Like many health-conscious people, I can still recall the turning point in my life when I started eating healthy. I’ve talked about it before on my blog, how I started by adding a salad before dinner every night until my children started eating it without having to sit at the table for hours!
From there I added baby steps, little by little until our diet was predominantly healthy, organic meals made from fresh ingredients. I learned to make several different salad dressings. Oatmeal, eggs, smoothies, and soups were a big part of our menu. I began cooking fish more often and baking or steaming our meals instead of frying.
So what is a healthy meal? It's basically a balanced diet with the proper portion of protein plus vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and good fats.
Wherever we are in our journey to a healthier lifestyle, there is always room for improvement. If you are just starting your on your journey or if you have been eating healthy for a long time it’s important to keep striving towards the healthiest menu you can create!
Start with whatever meal you find the easiest or the meal you have the most time to focus on. If you want to start with something easy, try breakfast. I have found that if you look around a little bit, even when traveling, you can find really healthy options. Recently, while traveling in DC, I had some local yogurt with granola and apples for breakfast several mornings. It was so delicious I decided to start making my own yogurt at home!
If you work away from home, I suggest packing a healthy lunch. That is a great way to start eating healthier. Bring a boneless skinless chicken breast and some veggies or tuna and cucumbers with apples for a snack to work with you. If you made a nice soup and salad for dinner, consider taking some leftovers for work the next day.
For dinner, you can try adding a couple of vegetables if possible. I like to see how creatively I can use vegetables in our meals. I also sneak veggies in because I’m a veggie ninja!
Try starting a healthy cookbook collection! I love to collect cookbooks. I have several shelves of cookbooks. It's my thing. Do you have a favorite cookbook recommendation?
I prefer beautiful cookbooks with lots of pictures. While on vacation recently, my husband and I spent several hours book browsing. I added three cookbooks to my wishlist!
I usually browse the cookbook section at Barnes and Noble, then buy them on Amazon as they're almost always cheaper. I prefer beautiful cookbooks with lots of pictures. While on vacation recently, my husband and I spent several hours book browsing. I added three cookbooks to my wishlist!
The photographs are absolutely beautiful. You can look inside the books by clicking on the pictures below.
These cookbooks are “vegetarian” 
and I do eat meat, but I NEED more ideas for how to add vegetables to our meals in a fun and interesting way.
I also love having little get together's and paying special attention to the menu and cute details. This is something that I enjoy, but if you don't enjoy exploring cookbooks or even cooking you can still get started on healthy eating and healthy living.
If you want to eat healthily but you don't really like to cook, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken and breeze through the salad bar at lots of supermarkets. Many restaurants offer healthy fish dishes and steamed veggies. If you are okay with cooking but just don't like to plan menus, you can find plenty of free menu plans online.
When I don't feel like creating my own menu plans I use the ones from emeals where you can find Paleo, Clean Eating, Healthy Living, Weight Management, Family plans and much more.
If you have no idea where to start, here are links to some of my sugar-free menus or weight loss menus:
If you have no idea where to start, here are links to some of my sugar-free menus or weight loss menus:
Break the Sugar Addiction Menu Plan One
Break the Sugar Addiction Menu Plan Two
Break the Sugar Addiction Menu Plan Three
Break the Sugar Addiction Menu Plan Four
Here's a 10 Day Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Menu Plan
You might like to follow my Pinterest Board Eating Healthy and I have lots of other healthy eating Pinterest Boards if you would like to follow me on Pinterest.
Find all my weight loss Menu Plans and Recipes HERE
What are your thoughts? Do you already eat really healthy or are you ready to start? What suggestions would you give someone who eats an unhealthy diet?
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