HEALTHY TIP: Use the 50-50 Swap Rule

Food is addictive. Trust me I know. Sometimes, it's hard to get off of foods that make us fat, sick or miserable after eating them. But the bottom line is that we have to find ways to kick our unhealthy habits. Everyone has a list of their "worst offenders"...you know, those foods that you know don't make your body feel well but you just can't stop yourself from eating them. What has been working for me is to use what I call the "50-50 Swap Rule". This rule says that basically I can have the food but that I have to halven it and add something healthy.

Here are 10 of my worst offenders and how I've swapped out half of them for healthy alternatives:

1) Potato Chips BECOMES 1/2 chips + celery or carrots with hummus

2) Cookies BECOMES 1/2 amount of cookies + 1/2 cup of fruit

3) Hero Sandwiches BECOMES meat (or for non-Paleo folks, meat with 1/2 bread) on top of a salad

4) Soda BECOMES 1/2 amount of soda + herbal tea

5) General TSO chicken BECOMES 1/2 meal w/ salad platter

6) Chocolate cake BECOMES 1/2 slice (not a thin slice but half cut lengthwise) + fruit

7) Coffee w/ creamer and sugar BECOMES 1/2 amount of coffee + almond milk

8) Hot dogs and buns  BECOMES 1/2 serving of hot dogs with cabbage or kale.

9) Meat BECOMES 1/2 serving of meat + fruit or veggies
(for instance, sausages + apples, franks + cabbage, steak + salad)

10) Cheese BECOMES 1/2 serving of cheese + tomatoes (olives or pickles)