Have you decided you’re at a point in your life where you need to prioritize your health a little more?

Maybe your doctor told you that you need to lose weight.
Maybe you’re just sick and tired of being the biggest or least healthy one in your group of friends.
Maybe you just had your first kid and realized you need to be there for them growing up.
Maybe you woke up this morning, looked in the mirror, and finally came to the realization that it’s time to start taking care of yourself.

Source : https://authoritynutrition.com/healthy-eating-for-beginners/

So, you decided you need to become a little healthier, but how the hell do you do that?

There’s so many options about there that it’s extremely easy to get overwhelmed by all the options available.
Do I just cut out sugar?
Do I need to buy organic?
Should I become a vegetarian?
Do I need to eat lots of grilled chicken?
Should I do a juice cleanse?

No

Forget everything you think you know, I’m going to give you a very clear and defined starting point to put you on the path to achieving the health that you desire

Step 1 - What the hell should I be eating?

Here’s a few basic tips to set you on the right path

• Eating a good amount of non-organic fruits and vegetables is a very good idea to start to decrease your calorie intake without breaking the bank. Vegetables should be incorporated with as many meals as possible to increase your feeling of fullness as well as lowering calories.
• Consuming your daily meat intake with mostly lean meats like chicken and beef and fish will eliminate excess fat and further reduce calories.
• Eliminate extremely refined and processed sugary foods like soda to further reduce calorie intake
• Eating whole grains vs. overly processed carbohydrates will allow you to feel more full and eat less food.
  Slowly introduce these changes into your diet so they can be a sustainable practice. I know it can be tempting to jump in with both feet, but you need to be able to get used to these changes so they actually stick.
  Here’s a great rule to live by: If you can’t see yourself on this diet in one, two or three years, then it’s not the right diet for you.
  It’s so common for people go on extreme diets they can’t maintain, which means they never actually develop long-term, healthy eating habits. I don’t want you to be one of those people.

Step 2 Should I be exercising?

Exercising while dieting is a very good idea to further weight loss and cardiovascular health, not to mention all the other benefits exercise provides.
Here’s some further reading on the benefits if you’re interested
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
I usually advocate for an exercise regimen of both weightlifting and cardio training, but when it comes to just trying to increase general health it’s more important to find a form of exercise that you enjoy. The more you enjoy your form of physical activity, the more likely you will be to stick with it. In general, you should aim for around 3 to 5 hours a week of physical activity to improve your general health. This could include
Walking/Jogging/Running
Tennis
Golf
Basketball
Weightlifting
Yoga
Pilates
Etc.

Quick Summary

Introducing as many fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains is a very good place to start when it comes to improving your health through your diet. Reducing your intake of sugary highly processed foods that contain a lot of calories is another good idea. Exercising for 3 to 5 hours per week doing something you enjoy is the cherry on top for improving general health. Sticking to these basic tips will give you a huge leg up when it comes to becoming a better and more healthy version of you!