Spring Clean Eating

01/03/20

Feels like a long time since the start of the new year, doesn’t it? It’s easy to make changes to your diet after the excesses of the cold, dark festive season, but – week by week – these can slip and you’ve lost those great habits you developed in January.

What if we looked at things from a different angle
…and suggest that you start afresh with every new season? That means that you can overhaul your diet every three months, keeping the good habits that have stayed and introducing a few new ones to keep life interesting.

Spring Cleaning
Spring is a great time to begin. The natural world around us is starting to waken up and there’s a new optimism in the air. Typically, a time to clean the house from top to bottom and throw out half a wardrobe, why not give your eating habits a spring clean too!

Spring time, Spring portions
It’s time to readjust your plate. We’re not eating for long nights and cold days, so keep an eye on your portion sizes. If you feel that this might be a little too much too soon, why not swap out your carbs for an extra portion of veggies?

Slow it down
Busy modern lives mean that we often have to eat in a hurry, but eating fast can become the norm and not the exception. Mindful eating is very of-the-moment but the concept has been around for ever. It’s called savouring your food. Enjoy your hard work and chew every mouthful, taking in the different textures and flavours of your dish. Turning a 10-minute meal into a 20-minute meal will help you to eat more slowly – you’ll feel full sooner and you’ll know when to stop, instead of clearing the plate and then feeling sluggish.

Drink More
You can stop drinking alcohol any time. It doesn’t need to be in dry January. You can drink less coffee and you can cut out fizzy drinks whenever you want. These are all amazing things to do for your body, but it’s only half the story if you don’t up your water intake.

Every organ in your body needs to be hydrated. Water helps to circulate oxygen and detoxes you every day. A slice of lemon, lime or orange can make it more interesting if you struggle to drink a lot of water.

Clear out your cupboards
You work through your wardrobe, so work through your kitchen. We’re not talking about throwing out good food, but there may be things that are out-of-date or that may not do you any favours. Bin the old stuff and maybe pop the rest to a local food bank.

Is your kitchen in balance or do you have a big goodie cupboard full of crisps, biscuits and chocolates and an empty fruit bowl? Spring is a good time to take stock – literally.

Has #MeatFreeMonday fallen by the wayside?
Going without meat once a week is a very easy way of lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. There are simple changes that you can make to your meals that would make them meat free but just as tasty. Why not consider a Lentil Bolognese or a Cauliflower Jalfrezi?

Try these little changes and you’ll be ready to spring into Summer!