Junk food is full of calories that do absolutely nothing for your body. These are called empty calories because they have no or very little nutritional value. Most of these calories come from sugar and fats and they will do nothing but increase weight and body fat. Junk food can also cause you to retain water which will make you feel bloated and sluggish. This causes you to feel tired instead of having the energy to get up and move around. The long term effects of eating junk food can be extreme from causing you to be overweight to causing the clogging of arteries that leads to heart attack.
Why do people love junk food? The truth is that our brains have very positive reactions to fatty and sugary foods. It induces “feel good” hormones in the brain that actually mimic the effects of powerful addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin. It is no wonder that we need them. But, cravings for ice cream, chips, soda and cookies is a whole other matter. In order to overcome these perilous food addictions, you must retrain your body, change old habits and change tastes. It takes time and effort, but, it can be done. Honestly, when your body is craving something unhealthy, it’s usually an indication that you’re lacking in another area that could be healthier for you.
How can we ditch junk food from our diet? It starts with some common sense. It is cheaper to eat junk food than it is to eat healthy food, most people use the excuse that they just don’t like the way healthy food tastes. Removing junk food from your diet is an important way to become proactive when it comes to your health. When you remove junk food from your diet you will find that you suffer from cravings Here are some ways to remove junk food from your diet.
First you will have to reprogram your taste buds to get used to eating healthy foods. You have been eating junk food all of your life, and your body is used to, that is why your body and mind is craving unhealthy foods.
Here are a few substitutions you can use to get past the cravings.
• A square of dark chocolate instead of a chocolate candy bar
• Unsalted pretzels or no butter popcorn instead of chips
• Baked vegetable strips instead of chips
• Raw nuts instead of chips for a crunchy snack
• Plain yogurt with fruit, honey, or nuts instead of ice cream
• Flavored sparkling water instead of soda
• Fresh fruit instead of cake and cookies
• Raisins instead of candy
• Cherries instead of candy
Secondly, there are also ways that you can alter your favorite recipes to create a healthier version. For example instead of using butter in your cakes and cookies you can create a healthier version by substituting the butter with apple sauce. You can also use non-fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream or mayonnaise. If you are a real lover of mayonnaise than try replacing it with avocado on your sandwiches. It has the same texture and you never miss the empty calories of the mayonnaise.
The bottom line is, these are just a few things that you can do to remove the junk food from your diet. There are so many other options that you can do, but, rest assured it is possible to remove the junk food from your diet and replace it with much healthier alternatives. This will ensure your good health and the health of your family.
This isn’t an overnight process, but one that takes steps, commitment, and time.