You don’t have to give up on the things you like in order to live healthily. It’s all about making small changes in order to get rid of the things that cause harm or bring you little pleasure, and replace them with the things that are enjoyable, pleasurable, and just what you need to get you through the day.

Oil and Margarine

Margarine is often hailed as a the best alternative to butter, but why swap butter with something that is lower in calories but worse for you? According to one Harvard article, butter may actually be better for us than we thought, while margarine is one of the worst things we willingly put in our bodies.

As for oil, most oils are good in moderation, but not when they have been refined or super-heated. Olive oil is by far the best though and has been connected to all kinds of positive health effects.

Meat Substitutes

You don’t need to be a vegan or vegetarian to benefit from these foods. They are tastier than ever and in most cases they are better. Many meat eaters prefer a meat substitute over cheap meats, especially where foods like mince are concerned, because while cheap mince can be full of fat and gristle, the substitute is clean, chewy and tastes like a premium meat.

Brands like Quorn in the UK have the recipe to a tee, but there are many others, from Primal Jerky to Tofurky. Not only are the substitutes lower in saturated fat, salt and nitrates but where meat is all saturated fat and protein, these substitutes are all protein and fiber. Many Americans don’t get enough fiber into their diet, and this leads to all kinds of issues later in life (not to mention the next day). But swapping for meat-free foods like this, it’s not a problem you will need to worry about.

Coffee

Coffee isn’t that bad for you. In fact, there are studies that suggest it could protect you against certain diseases later in life. However, it will also raise your cholesterol and cause a stimulating effect that may do harm when repeated all day every day.

There are far better alternatives out there when it comes to a hot drink. One of the absolute worst is to simply switch to decaff. Many of the processes used to take the caffeine out are harmful and dangerous. At worst they will expose you to toxic chemicals, at best they will suck the flavor out of the drink.

Instead, try a naturally caffeine-free tea like Rooibos or, better yet, opt for something like turmeric tea, which is easy to make and offers many health benefits.

Shaving

You haven’t lived until you have sampled the joy of a close, traditional shaved. Okay, maybe that is an exaggeration, but this is one of those things that every man needs to try at some point in their lives.

We are obsessed with plastic razors, even though they are cheap and nasty, with over 2 billion being disposed every year and adding to the mass of landfall plastic out there. And then you have the cheap shaving foams that lather well and smell fantastic, but do more harm to the skin than good.

Most men don’t even know that single-bladed, stainless steel razors exist, so hellbent are they on the plastic varieties, and the majority also skip over the luxury balms and creams in the grooming sections. But this is something that you just have to try. Once you experience the difference for yourself you won’t go back.