Addition is easier than subtraction

In elementary school, you learned addition before subtraction, right?

That’s because addition is typically easier than subtraction. This mathematical logic also applies to your diet!

Most people approach diet improvements with a subtraction mindset. They make the mistake of trying to avoid all the things they want most (coffee, bread, sugar, etc…). While this can be a good goal, it’s not the best first step. Subtracting foods from your diet, especially in a cold-turkey fashion, can leave you feeling hungry, deprived, miserable, and disappointed. Unfortunately, this subtraction method is the focus of most fad diets. Many people see improvements with these diets, but the results are usually only temporary because this method proves to be too difficult to maintain over time.

Instead, focus on ADDITION! One of the easiest first steps to a better diet is to add something healthy. Here are some suggestions:

Add a serving of vegetables or fruit to each of your meals and snacks. Toss some chopped bell peppers and tomatoes into an omelet. Blend a handful of berries and spinach into a smoothie. Snack on an apple or a few baby carrots.
Add some good fats to your meals and snacks. Top your salad with sliced avocado. Blend a spoonful of coconut oil into your oatmeal or smoothie. Snack on a handful of raw almonds (or other nuts and seeds).
Add a fish oil supplement. Fish oil is an essential nutrient required by every cell in your body. Most people are toxic with Omega-6s and deficient with Omega-3s. The best source of Omega-3s is fish oil.

Many cravings for “bad” food stem from a lack of adequate nutrition. When you add healthy and nutritious foods to your diet, your body will naturally begin to choose more of the “good” stuff and less of the “bad” stuff.

Use facebook, twitter, or instagram to share your photos of the healthy foods you add to your diet. Tag your photos with #PittsburghUpperCervical and #AdditionChallenge.