During 2017, one of my important health goals was to eat less sugar. I am, by nature, a snacker. Having a snack here and there is totally fine. And, honestly, having a slightly indulgent snack every once in a while is not going to make or break a healthy routine. I truly believe that we can enjoy all things in moderation, but the moderation part had gotten a little out of hand for me.
That’s why, in 2017, one of my health goals was to eat less sugar. I feel so much better when I limit my sugar intake. If you’ve ever tried to achieve a health goal, you can probably commiserate with me. It’s tough! It wasn’t until Christmas that I realized sugar tastes entirely different to me. Replacing my sweets with a protein snack has been a huge game changer.
Today, I’m going to share exactly what I did to achieve my health goals. I have three tips to help you stay on track with your own health goals.
HEALTH GOALS TIP #1: KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU EAT
I keep track of what I eat in two different ways. I have an app on my phone that allows me to quickly track what I’ve eaten throughout the day. As far as paper and pen, I’ve had a health journal for quite some time. It was such a lovely present from my husband, as he knew how interested I was in tracking my eating habits. 2017 really opened my eyes to the eating habits I didn’t even realize I had, which brings me to my second tip.
HEALTH GOALS TIP #2: IDENTIFY YOUR PROBLEM AREAS
Throughout the tracking, it was very apparent to me that snacking was my issue. I dug a little deeper and realized that sweet snacks are a huge weakness for me. I’ve always had a sweet tooth. And, unfortunately, sitting in an office all day for work makes snacking incredibly easy. Looking over my eating habits, I like a salty snack in the morning and a sweet snack in the afternoon. Of course, I don’t need a candy bar every afternoon. There are plenty of healthy sweet options out there.
HEALTH GOALS TIP #3: MAKE A HEALTHY SWITCH
Using the information in my health journal and app, I discovered that sweets in the afternoon are weakness of mine. I decided to switch my snack to yogurt. It’s not only delicious (I love yogurt!), but it is also incredibly filling if you buy the right kind of yogurt. The Dannon Oikos Protein Crunch has been my go-to afternoon snack. It is yummy plus with 17g of protein, 6g of fiber, and zero artificial sweeteners, I feel full right up until dinner.
I am the type of person who loves to add things to my yogurt. The toppings for these yogurts are absolutely delicious. The flavors are Vanilla Yogurt with Chocolate Oats & Peanuts, Banana Yogurt with Cocoa Clusters & Chocolate, Coconut Yogurt with Whole Grain Oats & Almonds, and Vanilla Yogurt with Chocolate Caramel Pretzel. There is a flavor for everyone!
The best thing is stocking up now can earn you money through Ibotta. By signing up on Ibotta and purchasing 2 Dannon Oikos Protein Crunch yogurts, you can earn .75. You can find the yogurts on the dairy aisle.