I can't believe it's not butter! - HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES

THE ALTERNATIVES

Everything in moderation they say. But what happens when you think you’re eating in moderation but are in fact overeating or overindulging? Living a balanced lifestyle includes enjoying yourself and the foods that you love. And, some love nothing more than their daily coffee and lashings of butter on their toast in the morning. But could these bite sized treats be causing a lot more damage than you think over time? Grazing over food throughout the day can seem harmless, especially if you're only consuming small snacks at a time. Rather than denying yourself snacks completely; opt to snack smart and know that what you're consuming throughout the day isn't affecting your progress to a healthier you.

Below you’ll find simple yet effective food and drink swaps that will benefit your body in the long run. (And are just as delicious)

Butter:	Avocado/Coconut Oil: The heart healthy fat spreads. Don’t deny yourself a sprinkle of salt to curb your butter cravings
Juice	Water infused with berries and your favourite fruit
Peanut Butter	Almond Butter: All nut butters are nutrition packed, but you’ll find almond butter is lower in saturated fat, higher in monounsaturated fat AND contains more Vitamin E, Calcium and Iron than peanut butter
Sugar	Honey: Unprocessed and energy dense; Honey takes longer to digest than table sugar
Full Cream Milk	Soy Milk/Almond Milk/Rice Milk   Soak oats with one of these milks combined with chia seeds in your morning oats
Soft Drink	Soda Water infused with berries and your favourite fruit
Bacon	Turkey Bacon
Chips	Air Popped Popcorn
Sour Cream and Refried Beans	Salsa and Guacamole (homemade all the way!)
White Rice	Brown Rice or Quinoa
Processed Bread	Non-store Bought Bread: Bread with a shorter shelf life contains less preservatives and additives

These small changes can be challenging to some, and determination will play a key role in your food transition success. Regardless of what some people may have heard; eating smarter and healthier can become second nature to you, and you can learn to love these healthier options like myself.

THE SIZES

When it comes to portion sizes, it's important to take your own needs into account. Serving size recommendations are often misleading and aren't necessarily suitable for you. If one serving size seems too large for you in one sitting, you can always break it up and save it for later on in the day, or even another day. Plus, a serving size may even seem underwhelming for you, especially if you're planning to have an intense workout later on or are eating post-workout. For example: I've found that many single serving tubs of yoghurt can last me over two breakfasts. Considering that a lot of store-bought yoghurts contain more sugar, (unless you purchase a natural yoghurt) I can spread the yoghurt over two days and consume the sugar over two meals instead of one. This kind of thing is applicable with plenty of processed foods. While I try and stick to whole foods and groceries with a short life span; I make an effort to always read the label for packaged stuff. WHEN AND WHY Some who train regularly and intensely may require a lot more calories to another who trains a couple of times a week, even if they're of the same build, age, height and weight. For some it may some realistic to eat 6 meals a day, while some prefer three or four. Generally, aim to eat both before and after a workout regardless of your goals. It's beneficial to any kind of athlete to fuel up before hand and replenish afterwards! You've heard it before, but neglecting breakfast is a big no-no and I always recommend having breakfast to kickstart your metabolism and tide you over till lunchtime. The same goes for dinner, if you avoid dinner you may end up slowing down your metabolism or bingeing later on!