It's that time again. That time when it becomes clear I've fallen so far from a healthy lifestyle that something drastic needs to be done. That time when I can't deny my I don't fit into my pants any longer and need to re-commit to a healthy diet. I've been here before, many many times. Usually, I manage to change my poor habits for three months or so, and then I cheat a little, then a little more, and before I know it, I'm right back to my old unhealthy ways, including but not limited to: too much wine, too much sugar, not enough fruits and vegetables, not enough water.

Eating Better Doesn't Mean Eating Less

It used to be that all that mattered to me was a slimmer figure. I tried the Atkins diet, eating nothing but cheese, nuts, and meat for weeks, at the end of which I was ill and unfocused; I tried the South Beach diet and shed weight quickly, but still felt somehow unhealthy; I've tried not eating anything at all, only drinking my meals, and lowered my immunity so far, I very nearly ended up in the hospital. I'm happy to say that in the last 10 years, I've focused more on health and not at all on dieting. Once I changed my mindset, it became much easier to stick to healthy eating. So much easier, that my last big dietary  change lasted for two years, and was simple: I merely decided to eat better. For me this meant no white sugar, no white flour, no processed food, no caffeine.

It's that way of eating I aim to return to now. Initially, I adopted the dietary change for a variety of reasons, which all came down to the same thing, to feel better. Many days, I felt bloated and weighed down and puffy and tired. I also found myself absolutely needing my coffee in the morning. Then, needing more after that, and after that, until I felt like the only way I could survive my day was with a fresh infusion of caffeine.

Something had to change.

So, I quit cold turkey. I stopped eating the "white" products (no potatoes, cookies, cakes, bread, potato chips, etc.) and went to whole grains and foods.

I felt renewed. My head felt clearer and less clogged. I didn't have near as many stomach issues, and best of all, my eyes weren't perpetually half-shut.

What took me away from eating that way, especially after doing it for two years? Good old-fashioned laziness, that's what. So I find myself back at square one, tired but ready to give it another go. If you are also thinking of cleaning up your eating habits, I thought I'd share some of the things that worked for me.

What to Eat for Better Health

A typical day of eating well went like this:

Breakfast: I usually had oatmeal with cinnamon, or a Zen Bakery Real Salt,  and ate a lot of salads. Favorites included tomato salad with rice vinegar on top, and wilted spinach with lemon and olive oil.

Another regular dinner dish was salmon baked in foil with fresh tomato salsa on top. Side dishes included eggplant cut into rounds, and brushed with olive oil and crushed garlic, with a dash of chili powder on top. After broiling the eggplant in the over for a few minutes, I'd sprinkle a lot of cilantro on top.

Dessert, Snacks: As for dessert, I made a habit of eating dark (with at least 70% cacao) chocolate. In the snack department, I ate apples with all-natural almond butter, or walnuts, or almonds, or baked chick peas (just rinse and drain the chick peas, add a little olive oil and salt and bake until crispy).

As I write this, I recall how much better I felt when I ate less processed foods and incorporated more whole foods into my diet. So like I said, it's that time again. Maybe you'll join me?

Photo Credit: Hotblack from Morgue File