{"id":30305,"date":"2015-02-25T11:00:57","date_gmt":"2015-02-25T19:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=30305"},"modified":"2015-02-25T11:00:57","modified_gmt":"2015-02-25T19:00:57","slug":"5-simple-habits-get-plants-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/5-simple-habits-get-plants-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Simple Habits to Get More Plants into Your Diet"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/h1>\n

More and more people are waking up and realizing the impact of their dietary choices.<\/h1>\n

It seems like every day, new information is released that highlights the health benefits of eating less processed foods, and more plants. From weight loss to a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, it appears those nutrient-dense power houses can almost make us superhuman.<\/p>\n

We all know that we could benefit from eating more fruits and veggies, but bringing about that change is often easier said than done. Modern life is busy. We all have deadlines to make and commitments to fulfil, places to be and family to care for. And even if we do have the time to alter our diet, most of us don\u2019t really know where to start…<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re someone who wants to eat healthily but can\u2019t figure out how, here are a few simple actions you can take right now that will help you get more plants in to your diet. So you can start manifesting the changes you want to see, and get a little closer to realising your health potential.<\/p>\n

1. Start your day with something green.<\/h2>\n

I usually like to get a head start on the day with a green smoothie. It\u2019s packed full of nutrition, and it\u2019s easy for your body to digest. It also tastes great, it\u2019s quick to make, and you can drink it on the run if you\u2019re in a rush. What more could you want from a breakfast meal?<\/p>\n

I advise you to invest in a half decent blender, and try whizzing up a few bananas with some water, oats, seeds berries and leafy greens (either spinach, kale, or spring greens).<\/p>\n

Drink it down, and even if you don\u2019t have access to good nutrition throughout the rest of the day, at least you already have a load of vitamins and minerals in the bank.<\/p>\n

2.Try a new recipe each week.<\/h2>\n

Attempting to make big changes straight off rarely leads to lasting habits, which is why I advocate starting small. Rather than going for a complete overhaul, perhaps start by trying just one new healthy evening meal each week.<\/p>\n

Healthy eating doesn\u2019t have to take up a load of time, and it doesn\u2019t have to be difficult either. There are thousands of books and food blogs out there with tons of great recipes that are quick and simple to prepare.<\/p>\n

Homemade curries and stir-fry\u2019s are a great way to get a load of veggies packed into one meal. \u00a0Mexican food works well too. Remember to be creative, and find what works for you. If you\u2019re really stuck for ideas, feel free to check out my growing list of recipes over at my blog Health Room<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Enforce the side salad rule.<\/h2>\n

Regardless of whether your main meal is full of plants or not, promise yourself that you\u2019ll always endeavour to include a side salad of some sort. Maybe it\u2019s just a simple bowl of salad greens, or if you\u2019re feeling fancy maybe add some red onion, peppers, cucumber or sprouted seeds. Go crazy.<\/p>\n

Even if you\u2019re main meal is not that healthy, at least you\u2019re including some health promoting food along with it. If nothing else, it will help your taste buds adapt to the flavour of the veggies, and soon you won\u2019t want to eat without them.<\/p>\n

4. Eat plant powered snacks.<\/h2>\n

Snacking is a big problem for a lot of people. When you\u2019re dashing between meetings or in a rush back from work, it\u2019s too easy to grab that chocolate bar or packet of crisps. The truth is that plant based snacks can be just as convenient, and they come with the added benefit of being health promoting too.<\/p>\n

Fresh fruit is one of the best options, either whole or blended in a smoothie. Nuts and seeds are great too, and nut butters spread on wholemeal bread or rice cakes also do the job nicely.<\/p>\n

Stock up on a few of these foods, and keep them in your desk drawers so you\u2019ll always have emergency access to good nutrition.<\/p>\n

5. Plan ahead.<\/h2>\n

Once you\u2019ve built a solid repertoire of your favourite healthy meals, it can then be useful to start planning ahead.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re more likely to stick to a new habit if you build structure around it. Perhaps take some time on the weekend to plan your meals for the week. You can even batch cook them and store them in containers in the fridge and freezer.<\/p>\n

Having meals that are already prepared will make you less likely to go through the drive through when you\u2019ve had a long day at work. You\u2019ve already got something healthy and delicious waiting for you at home!<\/p>\n

—–<\/h2>\n

Luke Jones is the creator of Health Room, the site he uses to explore and share ideas in plant based nutrition, movement, mindfulness and sustainability. He recently wrote an eBook on forming lasting healthy habits, which you can get here free: The Health Room Starter Guide: 40 Ways to Eat More Plants, Move Freely, Live Mindfully and Exist Sustainably.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It seems like every day, new information is released that highlights the health benefits of eating less processed foods, and more plants. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":30599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[2162],"tags":[114,4648,1240,4101,116,1745,62,4637,1806,178,66,4078,4629,3637],"yoast_head":"\n5 Simple Habits to Get More Plants into Your Diet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Good Food Habits: We all know that we should eat more fruits and veggies, but bringing about change is often easier said than done. 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