By James Halim, Nutritionist and Food Service Dietician at MACROS
A change in seasons is cause for a fresh start, a clean plate if you will. Spring is the perfect time to add some more greens into your diet too, as many fresh fruits and vegetables are ripe for harvesting.
Filled with fibre, minerals and vitamins, greens are a great addition to your diet thanks to nutritional properties that can improve gut and cardiovascular health, enhance brain function, and help keep your skin, hair and nails in tip top shape.
Here are a few simple hacks for helping to spring clean your diet, just in time for summer, or if you are in the northern hemisphere and heading in to winter soon it is great to give your a diet an overhaul before the cold winter (and all of those delicious soups and stews!) begins.
Find greens that you actually like
Eating should be an enjoyable experience, especially when you are trying to freshen up your diet. I recommend buying vegetables you know you are going to enjoy; anything to avoid the guilt of knowing the fresh produce in your crisper is spoiling.
Eating food which you actually like will also help you to maintain a positive relationship with food, as you will no longer feel the need to binge to satisfy cravings.
Sip your servings
Trying to fit the recommended 5 servings of vegetables into your diet each day can feel kind of daunting. I suggest mixing it up and adding veggies to your morning shake, smoothie, or smoothie bowl.
You can’t even taste them, and there’s some surprising flavour combos you’ll grow to love – spinach and mango anyone? Other leafy greens like kale can also be a great addition when paired with sweet fruits like pineapple, to counteract the bitterness. Go on, get experimenting!
Sneak them into your meal
It can pay to get creative when finding ways to include more greens and leafy goodness in your meals. Something like an omelette is super handy for throwing in leftovers and hitting your veg targets, not to mention eggs are a fantastic source of protein to keep you fuller for longer.
I want to note that when trying to clean up your diet, it is so important to not skip meals – omelettes are the perfect breakfast food to kickstart your metabolism for the day.
Eggs with Spinach and Black Olives. Get the recipe here.
Choose recipes you enjoy cooking
Cooking food can be a pleasant experience if you make it one. Pop on some music, listen to your favourite podcast, anything you feel will make prepping and chopping a little more lighthearted. Cooking foods like homemade pizza can be entertaining too, get messy, and throw on those healthy toppings.
If you’re a bit of a novice in the kitchen or in need of a helping hand when it comes to food inspo, there are a tonne of fresh and convenient meal delivery services now available.
Brands like MACROS with dietician-formulated and fresh-made meals, offer plans tailored to your personal goals, for example: balance, sculpt, and plant-based. Let someone else do all the work and rest assured you’re receiving plenty of nutritional value from every meal.
Summer is slowly creeping up on us, now is the perfect time to give your diet a spring clean. Before beginning your wellness journey, as with any change in lifestyle, I strongly encourage you to consult your medical health professional before in order to understand what is right for you and your body.
Happy cooking, lettuce know how you go..!
About James
James Halim has a Bachelor in Exercise & Sport Science and a Masters in Nutrition & Dietetics with over 5 years in the food industry. With a strong passion for fitness, health, and wellbeing, James has an aim to become an advocate for a balanced healthy lifestyle with exercise and nutrition.
By James Halim, Nutritionist and Food Service Dietician at MACROS
A change in seasons is cause for a fresh start, a clean plate if you will. Spring is the perfect time to add some more greens into your diet too, as many fresh fruits and vegetables are ripe for harvesting.
Filled with fibre, minerals and vitamins, greens are a great addition to your diet thanks to nutritional properties that can improve gut and cardiovascular health, enhance brain function, and help keep your skin, hair and nails in tip top shape.
Here are a few simple hacks for helping to spring clean your diet, just in time for summer, or if you are in the northern hemisphere and heading in to winter soon it is great to give your a diet an overhaul before the cold winter (and all of those delicious soups and stews!) begins.
Find greens that you actually like
Eating should be an enjoyable experience, especially when you are trying to freshen up your diet. I recommend buying vegetables you know you are going to enjoy; anything to avoid the guilt of knowing the fresh produce in your crisper is spoiling.
Eating food which you actually like will also help you to maintain a positive relationship with food, as you will no longer feel the need to binge to satisfy cravings.
Sip your servings
Trying to fit the recommended 5 servings of vegetables into your diet each day can feel kind of daunting. I suggest mixing it up and adding veggies to your morning shake, smoothie, or smoothie bowl.
You can’t even taste them, and there’s some surprising flavour combos you’ll grow to love – spinach and mango anyone? Other leafy greens like kale can also be a great addition when paired with sweet fruits like pineapple, to counteract the bitterness. Go on, get experimenting!
Sneak them into your meal
It can pay to get creative when finding ways to include more greens and leafy goodness in your meals. Something like an omelette is super handy for throwing in leftovers and hitting your veg targets, not to mention eggs are a fantastic source of protein to keep you fuller for longer.
I want to note that when trying to clean up your diet, it is so important to not skip meals – omelettes are the perfect breakfast food to kickstart your metabolism for the day.
Choose recipes you enjoy cooking
Cooking food can be a pleasant experience if you make it one. Pop on some music, listen to your favourite podcast, anything you feel will make prepping and chopping a little more lighthearted. Cooking foods like homemade pizza can be entertaining too, get messy, and throw on those healthy toppings.
If you’re a bit of a novice in the kitchen or in need of a helping hand when it comes to food inspo, there are a tonne of fresh and convenient meal delivery services now available.
Brands like MACROS with dietician-formulated and fresh-made meals, offer plans tailored to your personal goals, for example: balance, sculpt, and plant-based. Let someone else do all the work and rest assured you’re receiving plenty of nutritional value from every meal.
Summer is slowly creeping up on us, now is the perfect time to give your diet a spring clean. Before beginning your wellness journey, as with any change in lifestyle, I strongly encourage you to consult your medical health professional before in order to understand what is right for you and your body.
Happy cooking, lettuce know how you go..!
About James
James Halim has a Bachelor in Exercise & Sport Science and a Masters in Nutrition & Dietetics with over 5 years in the food industry. With a strong passion for fitness, health, and wellbeing, James has an aim to become an advocate for a balanced healthy lifestyle with exercise and nutrition.
Want more? Click here for a Pina Colada Smoothie and here for our delicious Smoothie recipes.
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