How to Eat Cheap and Healthy
Let me start by saying that health is recession-proof. No matter how rich or poor you are, your health has been, is and will always be the most important part of your life. You don't have to be wealthy to be healthy. You simply need to take a moment, think about what you're eating--and make wise choices from there. Here are some tips for eating healthy during hard times.
Instructions
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Fix yourself a plate of brown rice and beans with a green vegetable; it's cheaper than fast food and the least expensive meal you can have. If you can't afford fresh, then buy frozen green vegetables such as spinach. The vibrant color indicates antioxidants, and most people don't know that rice and beans make a complete protein.
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If convenience and time is also an issue, you're still in luck because fast food chains are catching on. Now they have to list the nutritional information on all of their menu items, and they are offering interesting salads, fruit and whole grain alternatives. When there are no healthy available options, watch your portions. Start getting used to the word "small." Even with beverages, there is no reason that a human being needs to consume 34 oz. of sugary soda. America is the land of large, but what most Americans don't realize is that the value that you perceive to be getting with larger portions is outweighed by the money you will spend on diets, diet books, gyms and fitness fads.
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Eat, enjoy, then stop. After that point there is no upside. Once you become used to eating less, you will actually enjoy what you are eating even more. Very often, people finish what is in front of them simply out of habit. There is a point of diminishing return in an order of large fries. You've eaten half the order; you know how good they are; you've satisfied your craving and now you are eating because it's there. The fries won't get better--you'll just be more full and racked with guilt that you overindulged. Also, eating less of one thing makes it possible for you to try a variety of things. A few bites of a burger and a handful of fries followed by a small ice cream definitely beats a large order of fries on its own.
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Eat real food. If it has ingredients you are unfamiliar with, then you shouldn't eat it absentmindedly. Read labels. Choose the item with the fewest ingredients and ones that look familiar. Corn chips have corn, oil and salt. I'm not suggesting that corn chips are healthy, but they are often the lesser of the evils. Choose the real ice cream that has butter, sugar and flavors versus the one with all of the foreign, chemically enhanced ingredients.
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Educate yourself by looking at what you are eating. Eat the rainbow. The brighter the color, the more antioxidants the food contains, and thus the better the choice. These are tips that you can use anywhere in the world from a plane to your office to a fast food restaurant. Open up your eyes and your mind to how healthy life can be.
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