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Everyone has a goal to eat “healthy” or “diet” in the new year. Problem is, people fall off the band wagon within a few weeks of trying. Excuses are due to counting calories, not having enough time to cook (I get it. I have two kids, a husband, chores, two jobs. Fast food is easy.), or just simply thinking “healthy” food is not tasty.

First off, being healthy and losing weight will never work on a “diet“. To be healthy you have to change your lifestyle. You have to make better choices. Weight loss and a healthier you, starts in the kitchen, not the gym. Sounds difficult? There are easy ways to make better decisions.

1. Thrive Market.

I love Thrive Market! It is where I buy most of my organic foods (minus produce), toothpastes, cleaning supplies, and body products. My son begs me for Cheetos. (Thanks mom and dad!) So instead I order Cheese Puffs for him. (Don’t judge! When a child is a super picky eater and won’t eat ANYTHING, you order what you can organic so he has food.) Organic, less processed food along with moderation helps me feel better about what my family is eating.

Thrive Market is easy. You order and it shows up to your doorstep. They have free shipping on all orders over $49 and they always have a free item you can snag with your order. I’ve gotten free coconut oil, Molly Sud’s Laundry Detergent, Organic Purple Corn Flakes and Organic Cocoa Cluster Flakes to name a few.

When you have children or are super busy, driving to Sprouts, Aldi, Trader Joes (Oh how I miss you!) or Whole Foods is hard to do. (Especially when you live 15 mins away from anything besides Walmart!) They have everything from Paleo and gluten-free, to vegan and raw, to non-GMO and certified organic. Also, with every paid membership, they give away a membership to a low income family.

2. Meal Plan.

This may sound silly and time consuming. But, when you sit down and plan 2 weeks or a month worth of dinners at a time, you save SO much time and energy. You won’t have to worry about whats for dinner and stop to pick something up.

I simply look at my list and set out whatever frozen items are on the menu that morning. At lunch, I can throw everything into a crockpot or start marinating, so dinner around here is a breeze. Plus when you stick to the menu, the healthier options are easy to stick to. (I don’t know about you, but I get stressed out about what we are going to have for dinner. So meal planning helps with my sanity!)

3. ONLY Shop Once or Twice a Month.

Now that you have a meal plan. You can sit down and see what you will need for the next few weeks for dinner (and lunch). This will eliminate the need to run to the store frequently. If you’re like me (or more likely my husband), when you run to the store, things get bought that aren’t needed. So you end up spending more money! This allows us to stick to a strict food budget.

4. Buy Bulk.

I like to buy produce while in season, while its cheaper, and freeze some. I love making blueberry *organic* waffles, so while blueberries are cheap, I will buy and freeze them. If you don’t have room in the freezer to do so, eat produce that is in season.

One of my favorite breakfast items is strawberries and bananas topped with plain organic yogurt. I will buy bananas and before they go bad, I will slice them and freeze them in serving sizes. <– This also allows for less waste! You don’t throw money away.

Start small.

Little changes to your lifestyle are sometimes easier than going too drastic. Limit sugars, breads, and snacks. Be conscious about how much your eating. If you want dessert, eat dessert (once or twice a month). Just don’t eat the entire dessert! Put some super healthy dinners on your meal plan. Take leftovers to work with you. Exchange your snacks for healthy organic snacks from places like Thrive Market.

Chiropractic.

Doctors of Chiropractic not only can keep you healthy, they can help with meal plans and keeping you on track. It’s important to have someone that can hold you accountable. I personally like having my patients keep a food diary. Food diaries can help determine the wrong kind of foods your eating, as well as, possible triggers for pain. Food sensitivity tests are also available to determine what kind of foods are not right for you. Every body has an individual set of ways to be healthy so one lifestyle isn’t appropriate for everyone! Talk to your chiropractor about becoming a healthier you.

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, Inc.
El Reno, OK 73036