9 Easy Swaps That Will Help You Eat Your Way to Health

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Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean culinary revolution. A few small adjustments add up to make a world of difference. Make mealtime work for you with these simple switches.

 

Breakfast

1. The Dish: Oatmeal

The Swap: Instead of sugar or sweetener, add fresh fruit and cinnamon. Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar while spicing up your breakfast, and fresh fruit adds a touch of natural sweetener.

2. The Dish: Bacon and Eggs

The Swap: Try an omelet with spinach, kale, and any other veggies you have on hand. You’ll still get the protein you need to start your day off right – supercharged with a dose of nutrients. Top with a little goat cheese for good measure.

3. The Dish: Coffee

The Swap: Whoops – we’ve all been there. When it feels like there’s no time for a proper breakfast, it’s easy to resort to quick fuel, but caffeine doesn’t nourish you, it just prolongs the inevitable crash. Instead, blend up an energizing smoothie in less time than the coffee takes to brew.

Lunch

4. The Dish: Sandwich

The Swap: Switch white breads out for whole grain alternatives, tortillas, or even collard green wraps. Refined flour does you – and your waistline – no favours, while whole grains and extra veggies offer a range of healthy nutrients.

5. The Dish: Pizza

The Swap: While we all know nothing can really take the place of pizza, instead layer pita bread with humus and your favourite veggies as toppings (or skip the pita all together).

6. The Dish: Soup

The Swap: Trade high sodium, low nutrition canned options for homemade soups and stews prepped at the beginning of the week. Just as convenient, tastier, and a whole lot better for you.

Dinner

7. The Dish: Fettucine Alfredo

The Swap: Skip rich creamy sauces in favour of tomato or pesto, and opt for whole grain or rice noodles. If you feel like an extra hit of veggies, shred zucchini for a raw, nutrient dense noodle experience.

8. The Dish: Meat and Potatoes

The Swap: Trade the classic russet for yams or sweet potatoes, which have a lower Glycemic load and more antioxidant nutrients than the average tuber.

9. The Dish: Tacos

The Swap: Instead of sour cream, add a dollop of tangy plain Greek yogurt to your fiesta. In fact, Greek yogurt – full of protein and healthy fats – is a great swap on any dish that calls for dairy, from granola to dips to baking.

For other healthy meal ideas, check out our selection of PGX recipes – and tell us what simple swaps have worked for you!

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Riding the Blood Sugar Roller Coaster

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Who among us hasn’t been tempted by the promise of easy weight loss? Claims of “fat that melts away” or “a magical change in metabolism” might sound like dreams come true, but that’s just what they are – dreams. If you’re struggling with weight loss and maintaining blood sugar balance, the allure of these empty promises is even stronger.

Reality – and weight loss – isn’t quite so simple.

Before you can shed those pounds, you have to get off the blood sugar roller coaster. Like the ride at your county fair, the blood sugar roller coaster is full of ups and downs – all day long. Racing from sugar high to major crash and back, this is one roller coaster you’re better off avoiding.

Even with the best intentions to eat well, how could you resist such cravings? Getting off the blood sugar roller coaster is key to curbing cravings that kill your weight loss goals.

These tips will help you stay on steady ground:

  • Reduce your portion sizes and calorie intake.
  • Think protein before carbs every time you eat.
  • Have a small snack – with protein – every 2-3 hours, all day long.
  • Eat three meals a day and include PGX with each of them.

PGX can help lower the glycemic index of foods and greatly assist you in managing hunger pangs*. Try it in a recipe or two and let us know if it crushes your cravings!

*Note: Drink additional water (8 fl. oz.) after ingesting PGX. If you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX.

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5 Tips to Avoid Winter Weight Gain

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Is winter the downfall of your weight management strategy? The cold, damp, short days topped with the pressures of high-calorie party foods is enough to throw even the most disciplined health guru off her game. But with the right plan, you can eliminate the anxiety of weight gain this winter. Here are 5 tips to get you started:

  1. Load-up on fibre. Fibre keeps you full, blood sugar steady and cravings curbed. Include beans, seeds, fruits, and vegetables in your meals and add PGX® to your favourite healthy snacks to boost their fibre content.*
  2. Get your vitamin D. During the winter it may help reduce occasional winter blues, making it easier to stick to your goals – whether they are healthy eating, exercise or just getting off the couch.
  3. Partner-up. Recruit an energetic friend, family member or colleague for working out. They will boost your motivation, accountability and enjoyment.
  4. Get your ZZZs. According to research, sleep deprivation causes people to eat more and to crave high calorie foods[1].
  5. Treat yourself! Feeling deprived can lead to binge eating[2]. Treat yourself to high quality whole foods, such as coconut water, raw nuts, kale chips, roasted seaweed, and organic teas.

Stay tuned for more great tips!

Patience Lister

*Drink additional water (8 fl. oz.) after ingesting PGX. If you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX.

References:

[1] Greer, Stephanie, Andrea Goldstein, and Matthew Walker. “The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain.” Nature Communications 4 (2013): 2259.

[2] Michaels, Samantha. Overeating?: How to stop binge eating, overeating & get the natural slim body you deserve. Speedy Publishing LLC, 2013.

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