What "Crowding Out" of foods means & 4 simple ways to do it!
In my program I mention that I guide my clients in understanding how to “crowd out” processed foods so I wanted to fully explain what that means and how you can start! During my time at IIN, we learned that in order to make lifelong changes, we need to first make gradual small steps to achieve our ultimate health goals. One way to do this is by crowding out the unhealthy foods we’re used to consuming by introducing healthier options into our every day diet. Typically when you start a “diet,” you’re used to having a list of foods you can’t eat and while this may work for a short period of time, eventually your cravings will take over and you’ll go right back to eating the same way you did before (sound familiar?)
Instead, it’s best to make small changes each week and introduce new foods that you may not have tried previously in order to crowd out some of the foods that aren’t benefitting your health. This doesn’t just include eliminating foods to lose weight, but also to decrease inflammation in the body, gain more energy, reduce anxiety, and the list goes on. Here are some easy ways to start:
Add a roasted veggie as a side to your dinners every other night. Roasting vegetables is so easy and you can do it with anything! If you like sweet and salty foods, try roasting sweet potato with olive oil, salt, and pepper. If you enjoy more savory, roast mushrooms and kale. All you have to do is preheat your oven to 425, drizzle veggies with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and roast for 18-25 mins! Takes 5 minutes to prep and such an easy side.
If you’re craving something sweet, instead of reaching for an ice cream or piece of candy, try a piece of dark chocolate or a scoop of peanut butter with a couple of dark chocolate chips. Those options will satisfy your cravings as much as a candy bar, and after a couple weeks of doing this, your craving for processed sweets will decrease.
Replace three lunches per week with a salad. I used to hate salads, but once I learned how to make them the way I actually enjoy, I now love them and could eat them for every meal! An easy way to make a delicious salad that you’ll actually enjoy:
Choose your favorite greens
Something sweet (fruit or dried fruit with no added sugar)
Something crunchy (cucumber, walnuts, sliced almonds, sesame seeds)
Protein (the nuts can also be this source if you’re a vegetarian)
Something creamy (avocado, goat cheese, or feta)
Dressing that you like!
Check out my favorite salad combos on https://www.instagram.com/be.your.health/
Introduce more water into your daily routine. Make a calendar event in your phone to remind you every other hour of the day to drink water and actually follow it! Drinking water has so many benefits and in regards to crowding out, it helps to reduce cravings, makes you fuller longer after a meal, and will help to stop you reaching for the soda or juice.
It’s all about small steps to get to where you want to be. If you focus on the end goal, you’ll get overwhelmed with everything you feel like you need to do now and give up, so let’s work together to focus on the small changes week by week that can be done!
Maddy