There’s a lot of information about what a healthy diet looks like. We can agree there’s no shortage of advice on this topic, and it can easily become overwhelming and confusing!
But first and foremost, it’s important to know that maintaining a healthy diet does not imply depriving yourself of the foods you love or reducing the quantity of food and the number of times you eat every day.
In fact, we want to highlight what healthy eating looks like and how you can start today!
1. Become Realistic
Adopting a super strict diet regimen that you cannot maintain longer than four hours is simply unrealistic.
Rather, cultivating a culture of healthy eating is all about making small changes that you can comfortably adjust to so you can achieve reasonable dietary goals.
2. Resist Temptation
If you’re focusing on cutting down or avoiding particular foods, it’s easier to resist that temptation if it’s not within reach.
So do yourself a favor and don’t bring those tempting foods home from the grocery store.
The saying goes: If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it!
3. Keep It Simple
Any change comes with some challenges, and for that reason, you should focus on making small changes along the way if you’re not willing to adjust your diet completely.
For instance, you can start by adding a vegetable to every meal and then add the nutritious foods you already know going forward.
It’s also advisable to find foods you enjoy and explore opportunities for enhancing your diet gradually.
4. Exercise Caution Regarding Tricky Labels
Always read the label on the item you’re considering purchasing to find out whether it’s really healthy…or not.
Some of the things you should take note of include sodium, sugar, and fat.
Here’s a rule of thumb: The fewer the ingredients, the less processed the item.
5. Prioritize Water
Sugary drinks are a leading cause of weight gain among most individuals.
Opting to drink water instead of sugary beverages has several benefits, including boosting skin health, flushing body waste, energizing muscles, and enhancing performance when exercising.
Substituting sugary drinks with water can also help you shed off some weight. Additionally, you’ll realize you tend to consume a smaller portion of food whenever you drink water before a meal as a result of feeling fuller faster.
6. Ditch The Soda
Sugary drinks are also a source of added sugars in our diet, and that includes fruit-flavored drinks, energy drinks, sweetened teas and coffees, sports drinks, soda, and flavored waters.
It may surprise you to discover that a single sugary drink has as much sugar as is recommended for your intake for the whole day!
This is a good reason to ditch such beverages.
7. Befriend Carbs
Part of the great sources of energy in your daily meals are carbs, but you should be careful about the variety you choose to consume in this case.
In fact, quinoa, fruit, sweet potatoes, and oats are some of the “friendly” carbs that can energize you for the day.
8. Pack Some Snacks
A busy schedule can affect your eating habits in one way or another, and preparing yourself for this as you start your day is a wise idea.
A healthy snack will not only satisfy you when hunger strikes, but it will also keep you on track with healthy eating.
Examples of the healthy snacks you can pack for your day include peanut butter, nuts, celery, fruit, veggies with hummus, among others.
9. Add A Protein to Your Diet
Our bodies need protein, and there are multiple options to choose from in this case.
Beans, lean meat, tofu, fish, yogurt, eggs, and chicken are some of the protein sources you can add to your daily diet.
10. Prepare for Success
Preparing food beforehand or having a daily or weekly meal plan can tame impulse buying or the temptation to eat out, which can bear a negative impact on your healthy eating ambitions.
Eating healthy is a personal commitment that takes dedication and a willingness to embrace change. Start the journey towards becoming a better you today by adopting the simple healthy eating tips above, and that is sure to make a big difference.
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