Changing to a Healthy Diet Directly Affects Your Success (And Tips to Do It)

Did you know that people who take care of their diet are likely to be more successful?

According to research by the International Labor Organization (ILO), our nutrition habits directly affect our productivity. Apparently, inadequate nourishment can cut productivity by up to 20 percent.

Of course, there are many other reasons why you might want to transition to a health diet. You could be hoping to shed a few pounds, or you might just be focused on maintaining your current weight.

Even if you aren't thinking about weight loss, you may just want to change your diet so that you can prevent health problems and lead an overall healthier lifestyle.

Whatever the case may be, taking care of yourself is a smart move. It will help you be more successful because you will be healthier, strong, more productive, and able to meet your personal and work obligations.

If you don’t take care of yourself and treat your mind and body with respect, you’ll be susceptible to all manner of maladies that will hinder your success.

Tips for Transitioning to a Healthy Diet

Irrespective of why you might want to change to a health diet, these tips will help you eat right and contribute to your overall health and success:

1. Start eating leaner proteins

Protein is an important part of just about anyone's diet. However, some proteins are much healthier than others. One important part of following a healthy diet is to focus on lean proteins.

For example, if you love eating beef, consider purchasing lean ground beef rather than fattier ground beef, and look for steaks or other cuts that aren't fatty.

When purchasing chicken, buying boneless, skinless chicken breasts can help you get plenty of protein and can be a healthier choice than dark meat chicken.

You may also want to start exploring other healthy protein options, such as fish or beans.

2. Swap out carbs

Consuming refined white starches isn't always the best course of action when you want to follow a healthy diet. If you are used to eating potatoes, rice, white pasta, white breads and other similar foods with your meals, you may want to look for healthier swaps.

For example, switching to Thrive Market quinoa pasta instead of white pasta and eating sweet potatoes instead of regular white potatoes can help you enjoy similar meals to what you are used to but can be a whole lot healthier.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables

Many people don't get enough fruits and vegetables, but the truth is that fresh produce should make up a big part of people's diets. If you aren't used to eating a lot of fresh produce, consider buying fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season for the freshest taste and the most affordable prices.

If you experiment a little bit with different preparation styles, such as by roasting, steaming or sauteeing your favorite vegetables with your favorite herbs and spices, then you might find that you enjoy them more than you thought you would.

In fact, switching to meatless meals at least one night a week and enjoying a vegetable-based meal can be a great part of a healthy lifestyle.

4. Be careful about what you drink

Many people drink a lot of their calories each day. Plus, many drinks have a lot of carbohydrates and a lot of sugars, which should be consumed in moderation as a part of a healthy diet. Focus on drinking water the majority of the time to cut out a lot of sugar and calories from your diet.

When you do want to drink something that isn't water, consider going with iced tea that is either unsweetened or that has been sweetened with a natural sweetener rather than sugar. Fruit juices can be packed with nutrients and can be a good choice in moderation, but it is important to remember that many of them are packed with calories and sugars as well.

5. Focus on portion sizes

One of the main things that you will probably want to keep in mind when transitioning to a healthier diet is that portion control is important.

In fact, unless you have specific dietary restrictions, you can still enjoy some of your favorite not-so-healthy foods, as long as you only indulge in them occasionally and as long as you keep your portions small.

By carefully measuring out your portions and sticking to standard serving sizes, you can help ensure that you aren't overeating.

As you can see, there are some things that you can do that will make transitioning to a healthy diet a whole lot easier. If you follow these tips, then you might find that eating healthier is easier than you might have thought it would be.