Small changes can make a big difference in your health and weight.

You can get a good start in the new year by implementing some healthy behaviors. One thing that will give you a good start in the morning and make it easier to lose weight or stay at a healthy weight is a high nutrient very low glycemic index breakfast.

Don’t get stuck thinking that you have to have certain things for breakfast. We are used to eating certain foods because of habit, not necessarily because it makes sense health wise.

Here are two very healthy choices for breakfast. Start the day with a breakfast salad. An easy way to make it is by taking a few spoons of beans or lentils already cooked and add half a sliced tomato, half an avocado, and a few olives, green or Greek, if you like them. Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds on top and add a little bit of olive oil and vinegar dressing. You can of course, also add other vegetables and lettuce to it if you like.

If you want something warm in the morning, try a lentil or bean soup. Put a few spoons of already cooked beans or lentils in a pan, add water, a little bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder and heat it up.

Beans and lentils are the best low glycemic form of carbohydrates you can eat to stabilize your blood sugar and give you prolonged energy. It will reduce cravings for sweets and keep you satisfied and full for a longer period of time.

You can cook beans and lentils yourself using dried ones, making enough for at least three days. You can keep them in the refrigerator and put them in different dishes. If you don’t want to cook them yourself use canned ones. It is still a lot better than cereal, bread, potatoes and rice. You can use all kinds of beans, they are all good. Be sure you have what you need at hand in the refrigerator, that way these changes are easy and quick to make.

There is one more thing you can do. Stop drinking soft drinks, juice and other sweet beverages. Fructose and sugar will in addition to make you gain fat, increase your cholesterol, LDL (the bad cholesterol) and triglycerides (Stanhope KL, et al. 2009).

Just by implementing these two suggestions will make a nice difference in the way you feel, function and look.

If you want to know more about this approach and want more recipes, read one of the books “The Food Connection” or “Effective Nutrition for Effective Healing,” click here.