Variety truly is the spice of life and when you embrace variety in your food plan you will feel better, have more energy and achieve better weight-loss results. Don’t be a creature of habit, be adventurous and enjoy a variety of new foods daily and weekly as a part of your balanced food plan. Sparking variation in your normal health routine and food plan helps to create lasting change for sustainable weight loss and long-term good health.

Don’t fall into the habit of eating the same foods, doing the same exercises and expecting different results. Our bodies naturally require diet and exercise diversity because no one food contains all the nutrients our bodies require, nor does one specific exercise target all parts of the body. Here are some important reasons to add variety to your daily health regimen.

Improve Gut Health

The Institute of Food Technology states that diversifying your diet can improve gut health. According to a lecture by Mark Heiman, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at MiroBiome Therapeutics, diet is the principal regulator of the GI microbiome, which contains trillions of bacteria used to aid in digestion and regulation the GI system. Heiman’s studies concluded that the microbiome requires a varied diet to function optimally. Taking a digestive enzyme such as Diet Center Fiber Capsules and a probiotic while following your Diet Center Program will help to improve gut health, decrease inflammation and improve the absorption of key nutrients.

Receive Varied Nutrient Profile

Kale is nutritious, however eating kale all day every day won’t provide you with the nutritional makeup your body needs to perform its best. Though kale contains vitamins and nutrients, it does not contain the diverse number of nutrients your body needs to run all its systems optimally.

Lessen the Phytonutrient Gap

According to a study titled “America’s Phytonutrient Report,” 80 percent of Americans are endangering their health by failing to vary their diet with colorful fruits and vegetables. This finding refers to the “phytonutrient gap.” Humans need a varied, colorful diet to receive phytonutrients, many of which are powerful antioxidants that can fight the damage caused to cells over time.

Avoid Boredom

Other than the scientific health benefits of eating a variety of different foods, it can also help you avoid boredom in your program and lead to less deviation. Most people find that eating the same thing every day can become mundane and cause unnecessary overeating of unhealthy foods, simply to break the humdrum cycle. By varying your food plan with healthy items, you can stay on track and create excitement in your eating.

Connect with Your Food

By purchasing and preparing colorful, nutritious foods, you learn the beauty and importance of a balanced food plate. Filling your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables is like creating a piece of art. Think of the plate as your canvas and make it as beautiful and balanced as you can. Cooking at home will also allow you to forge a deeper connection to your meals knowing you created them by hand.

Boost Your Metabolism

Have you heard the term “shocking your body?” Chances are if you find yourself hitting a weight-loss plateau, your body is signaling the need for change. By altering your healthy food options, you can tell your metabolism to work harder to process and identify these new foods.

Tips for Variety

Now that you know why you should vary your food choices and exercise routine, here is how you can make small changes to achieve this variety every day!

Get colorful. Add a rainbow of different fruits and veggies to your cart every time you shop.
Try something new. Make a promise to yourself to try a new healthy food each week. Brussels sprouts, bok choy, dragon fruit, blood oranges, Swiss chard are great options for variance.
Shop with the season. For the freshest produce, consider eating fruits and veggies that are in season.
Add veggies. Add different vegetables to your favorite soup, sandwich or breakfast options for additional variety, nutrients and taste!
Start small. Change one part of your meal at a time. Add another vegetable or change up your typical protein selection. Small steps add up!
Switch up your exercise. Just like diet, the same exercise routine can lead to your body plateauing. Change your cardio or introduce small weights to your regimen. You might even find something new you didn’t know you liked!

Be adventurous and step out of your comfort zone. We have a feeling you will feel better, have more energy, experience faster weight loss and enjoy improved health.