While you’re on the spring cleaning up, don’t forget your diet! New season, new spicy and savory ingredients for a tasty, healthy menu.  With the sun and warmer weather coming, it’s time to slack off on the heavy, fatty winter treats and try all the fruit and color variety that spring brings.

Here’s how you can change your diet to welcome spring with energy and help your body adjust to more sunlight hours. You don’t need exotic ingredients, just the basics. And you can still have a treat, now and then. Take these steps for a leaner, lighter body:

1. Forget over-processed bread

This is a taste winner. Processed bread packs no nutrients and will leave you feeling hungry after a short while. Don’t fall for the ‘’wheat’’ ads, go for 100% wholegrain bread and you will see how 2 or 3 slices will fill you and flavor your menu. The catch is in the fiber content. Whole grain or stone-ground bread will provide around 3 grams of fiber, for 120 calories per slice.

If you feel like taking things further, buy a bread machine and experiment on making your own. You can add sunflower or pumpkin seeds, nutmeg, ginger, sesame and any combination you can think of. Just remember to make whole wheat flower your main ingredient.

2. Get creative on salads

It’s not just lettuce that’s out there. Add more colors and salads won’t be nearly as boring as you think they are. Broccoli florets, small pink radishes, sweet peppers, diced celery, sweet baby corn, slices of carrots and cucumber, green onions, eggplant cubes, cherry tomatoes and fresh spinach will give you plenty of variety.

3. Choose snacks wisely

Reaching for candies or a piece of cake in the middle of the afternoon? Think again. Creams and extra calories won’t do your body any favors. Instead, go shopping for dried apricots, prunes, figs, dates and mango. Dried fruit packs a high dose of energy that will keep you going until dinner, no matter how hectic your workday gets.

4. Re-interpret crunchy

Were you reminded of your favorite chips just now? For the start of spring, swap them for raw almonds or sunflower seeds. They provide you with vitamin E and protein, keeping skin hydrated and preventing wrinkles, while avoiding extra pounds adding up.

5. Add yoghurt to your smoothies

Mornings start just right with your favorite smoothie? While fruit is a great option and has no unhealthy fat, you can improve it by adding yoghurt to the mixture. Choose natural, additive-free yoghurt, without sugar. The taste will be amazing, and you won’t need snacks as often. The calcium, fiber and protein combination will keep you full longer and prevent cravings for sweets. Give it a try!