There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that having something to munch on when watching a movie, playing video games, or just chilling by your workplace’s pantry are just some small things in life that people indulge in. In other situations, people eat junk food when they’re stressed out over their work or if they’re celebrating certain occasions. At the same time, there’s no problem in eating a bit of junk food now and then, binge eating junk food as a form of stress relief and a coping mechanism for stressful environments. However, this can pose serious health concerns in the long run.
This is because there are many instances where junk food has been a popular choice by many individuals over healthier food. As the name suggests, eating junk food has a lower nutritional value than being high in saturated fats and sugar. Eating junk food will usually result in a higher calorie intake, leading to long-term health complications, such as cardiovascular disease.
Fortunately, one of the best ways of addressing junk food is by effectively substituting it with healthier food and a well-balanced diet. Here are some ways of swapping out junk food with healthier alternatives.
Addressing Your Cravings
But right before we get into some key strategies that can help you effectively swap out junk food, we’ll need first to address one of the most critical cornerstones when swapping out junk food: cravings.
Having a well-balanced and healthy diet means that you’ll need to cut down on junk food and greasy food from your diet. However, this can often lead to cravings. Here are some ways of addressing each craving that you have:
Appreciate High-quality Food
First and most importantly, one of the best ways of having a better lifestyle is by appreciating your eating food. It’s essential to keep in mind that craving is psychological. One of the best ways of remedying craving is by focusing and enjoying the food you’re currently eating. This is why mindful eating is known for being a good strategy towards a healthier lifestyle.
However, many travellers will usually resort to eating junk food, especially during long flights. Fortunately, countries like Singapore that are well-aware of this health issue have invested in healthier food in planes and airports. Changi airport, known for being one of the gateways to the orient, is known for its fine-dining experience and healthy food.
If you’re planning on travelling while you’re on a strict diet, you’ll definitely want to try out the airport food and dining experience at Changi Airport. Not only will you appreciate good food, but this can also help you eat healthy while travelling.
Have a Cheat Day
One of the best ways of stopping your cravings for junk food without it having too much of a repercussion to your body is by having a scheduled cheat day when you can indulge in your cravings. Although this might seem a bit counter-intuitive for the dieting process, this is actually a good way of dieting since this reduces your cravings, which can help with eating cleaner throughout most swapping out junk food your regular diet.
Substitute Sweets and Pastries
Aside from salty food, sweets and pastries will usually comprise a good percentage of food intake for many individuals. This can come in the form of ice cream, cake, bread, and candy. Although sugar has always been an integral part of our bodily function, many of these treats are known for being packed with calories.
If you’re craving something creamy and sweet, like ice cream, you can opt for low-fat yoghurt, which is known for being better for your digestion while only having little to no fats and sugar. Most types of yoghurt are rich in probiotics, which can help in the digestion process.
When it comes to baked pastries and goods like muffins and cookies, you can substitute sweeteners for healthier ingredients. You might also want to use low-calorie ingredients. Grains like oats and fruits like bananas can help in this situation.
Choose Alternatives to Beer
Beer is known for being one of the most widely drank alcoholic beverages around the world. Although socially drinking isn’t a problem, beer is jam-packed with calories. If you’re cutting down on your alcohol intake, you might want to consider red wine since it’s not as strong as other types of drinks while also having benefits to your health.
As you can see, there are many ways of swapping out junk food without having to sacrifice your happiness in the process. Besides replacing junk food from your diet, you can also spice up your regular eating routine by substituting what might already be “healthy” food with others that might be high in fibre. Instead of using white rice, you can use brown rice and whole-sweat bread rather than white bread. Most would also suggest using low-fat milk rather than regular fresh milk that we find in the market.
There are practically near-endless ways of substituting a high-calorie diet. The key here is better meal preparation and personal discipline. If your goal is to lose weight, you’ll need to have a comprehensive meal plan. If you want to live a healthier life, it’s best to start appreciating healthy food and what it can do for you.