top of page
Writer's pictureCJ Jackson, PhD CHH

What’s for dinner

Updated: Oct 26, 2017

In my post on breakfast, we focused on some simple, healthy breakfast ideas. Now we focus on our evening meal. Keep it simple.


Buddha Bowls and More.


“Eating healthy can be easy, affordable and keep you going.”

Having a healthy dinner is quite satisfying after a long, hard day. Most people would agree that going to bed on an empty stomach is not enjoyable, nor is waking up with an unbalanced body.  This can get your day started in the wrong way, which in turn could make your fitness and weight loss endeavors seem a lot more difficult.  So, if you are thinking that you should skip dinner in order to save yourself some trouble later, now is the time to think again.


First of All, Dinner Makes You Happy


When you share a meal with friends and family, it warms your heart.  Eating dinner in a social setting is impressively beneficial to your health.  Interestingly, those who have a well-balanced dinner each night tend to have a well-balanced life as well.  For people who are trying to keep up with the demands of a workout, like 21 day fix, or weight loss regimen, like paleo diet, this may seem difficult.  However, failing to eat dinner can make those already challenging matters spin out of control.  In short, dinner makes you happy, which thereby makes you more likely to succeed at all the things you set out to do each day.


Dinner Also Keeps Your Metabolism in Check


Sitting down to eat dinner is for more than just cheering you up.  It can actually improve the way your body functions.  At the end of a long day your body could be lagging and you not even notice it.  This is especially true when you have gotten into a routine.  However, a healthy and wholesome dinner can promote better metabolic functions, which in turn promotes greater success in your weight loss efforts.  Good dinners have the power to balance the endocrine system and blood sugar levels – creating a terrific opportunity for you to benefit from that 21 Day Fix or whatever diet plan you are using.


Dinner Wraps Up the Day Nicely


There are few better ways to end a long day than by having a satisfying meal.  Your breakfast might be quaint and your lunch may have been light, so dinner is where you want to make it count.  A healthy dinner, find some 21 day fix approved dinner recipes here, can help you to wrap up the day and to complete all the necessary nutritional requirements of your body. Dinner can promote better brain function, improved digestion, and help you get more substantial sleep.  Not bad for a meal that you have to eat anyway.

Healthy Dinners Fuel Your Body for the Night 


Once you go to bed, there is no more eating.  So, you better get all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you can before it is lights out.  Unfortunately, a lot of people assume that they can simply eat breakfast in the morning and be fine.  The fact of the matter is this: breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but dinner is what will fuel your body until that time.  Considering that you actually burn more calories while you sleep than you do while you sit and watch TV, having a scrumptious dinner doesn’t necessarily mean you will gain more weight.  Just be sure to choose healthy foods, never overeat, and be careful about eating things that might cause digestive upsets.

Dinner Makes Breakfast Seem More Appealing in the Morning


Interestingly, those who eat a healthy dinner at night tend to have more of an appetite in the morning.  Unbalanced hormones and blood sugar levels can affect a person’s preferences for food, which is why going to bed on an empty stomach is so important.  When morning comes you will have to start the process all over again, so why not do something that makes it more enjoyable?  Dinner can keep your body in proper alignment, making a healthy breakfast not only more appetizing but also more satisfying.


Making Dinners that Matter

So, what to eat for dinner. Keep it light. You want to keep the metabolism burning, but not boost it too much since you are going to sleep. Eating simply allows your metabolism to burn without overdoing it.


Buddha Bowls are great. Basically, Buddha bowls are extreme salads. Utilizing a base of your favorite greens, other veggies of your choice, always add a fermented food to assist with digestion, protein and healthy fats like nuts and avocados.


Wraps with a side salad are great too. I always create a nice container of chickpea salad (much like chicken salad, just replace the meat with the chickpeas).


Hope this gives you some healthy ideas for dinner. Bon Apetit!!



67 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page