Healthy eating is not a strict diet, being thin, or not eating the foods you love. It’s about feeling amazing, having more energy, and being in a great mood. Follow these simple tips and learn how to have a tasty and healthy diet. Take things into your own hands and be healthy.
Set Yourself Up for Success
Start by planning a healthy diet as a number of small steps instead of one big drastic change. Don’t be very concerned with counting calories and portion size, but focus on finding fresh foods you love. Take small steps, like eating a salad once a day or instead of using butter use olive oil when cooking. Your small changes will become a habit and you will continue to add more healthy foods in your diet. The long term goal is to have more energy and to reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases.
It’s Not What You Eat, It’s How You Eat
Healthy eating is about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it’s important to think about food before eating it. Eating with other people, particularly for children, allows you to practice healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV leads to overeating. Chew your food slowly so you can actually taste the flavors and feel the textures. Stop eating before you feel full because it takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your stomach that it has enough food. Always eat your breakfast and avoid eating at night.
Moderation Is The Key
Moderation is, in fact, eating only as much food as your body needs. It’s also about balance, a balance of fat, fiber, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals to have a healthy body. The main goal is to have a diet that you can follow throughout for life, not just a few months. Don’t think of certain foods as “off-limits because that way you’ll crave them more. Another thing you should do is to eat smaller portion.
Colorful Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the key of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibers. Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day, with every meal. Deeply colored fruits and vegetables have higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables protect against cancer and other diseases. We recommend you not to take pills to get the vitamins, but take your vitamins through food.
Limit Sugar and Salt Intake
Sugar causes your energy levels to go up and down and can cause health and weight problems. Large amounts of added sugar are found in foods such as bread, canned vegetables, margarine, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. We recommend you to cut off sugar as much as you can. Instead of drinking soda, choose mineral water with lemon. The same rule implies for salt too. Cut off additional sodium because it’s bad for your health. Eat more fresh food instead of canned, because they contain lots of sodium.