We all talk about it, but what exactly is ‘healthy eating’? When I hear the words ‘I’m on a diet’, I cringe because this usually implies that the ‘diet’ has a beginning and an end; people are either on or off it. This is why ‘dieting’ does not work in the long term and why some people struggle to maintain their weight for years. Rather than pressure yourself by trying to follow an intensive ‘diet’, why not take small steps to achieve a healthier lifestyle and ultimately a healthier you? It is all about forming habits you will maintain throughout the year. After all, if we follow the ’80:20 rule’, then we can get 80% right and still enjoy the remaining 20%!
Simple healthy eating tips…
1) Eat in moderation
Regular meals will help maintain energy, blood sugar, and focus levels throughout your day. They will also help control hunger levels, giving you better control over your food choices later on. If you don’t like breakfast, try eating some fruit and yogurt mid-morning; it’s a way for you to get one out of 5 servings a day as well as some protein before the vending machines start calling you!
2) Drink lots of water
The body is smart, but it’s not that smart. Unfortunately, hunger and thirst can be ‘confused’ so when we feel hungry, it could be because we are dehydrated. Stay hydrated with at least 6-8 glasses x 200ml (1.2-1.6 L) of fluids each day to control your hunger and thirst signals. A good tip is to carry a 500ml bottle of water with you and take sips throughout the day – you should be able to drink 3-4 bottles of this water per day (increase if possible).
3) Include fruit, salad, or vegetables in every meal
Fruits and vegetables are great because they are very nutritious as well as low in calories. To get the recommended serving of 5 x 80g per day, you can have fruit for breakfast (banana porridge), salad for lunch (in a sandwich) and then two servings of vegetables (they can be frozen). !) in dinner or in a stir-fry. Snacking on fresh or dried fruit is another good way to increase your intake, or eat vegetables with hummus/salsa. tasty.
4) Don’t be afraid of Carbs
Your main meals should include a fist-size serving of whole grains or GI (slow-release) starchy carbohydrates such as wholemeal bread, whole-wheat pasta, basmati rice, oats, or wholemeal pasta. sweet potato. Not only are these foods a good source of energy, but they also contain fiber, calcium, iron, and B vitamins. Choosing whole-grain carbohydrates (as opposed to white varieties) will also help you feel fuller longer (if you eat them). If you can’t eat whole wheat bread, why not try 50:50 or Best of Both?). For more information on carbohydrates, see [this] blog posts.
5) Cut down on trans fats and replace them with monounsaturated fats.
Trans fats are found in processed or fried foods and on the ingredient list labels may include ‘hydrogenated vegetable oils’ – these are the worst fats for your diet and should be removed. You should replace trans fats with healthy monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.
So there you have it, my top 5 tips on how to get started with healthy eating.. it’s not rocket science but putting knowledge into practice and developing habits healthy eating for the future.
Quick Talk about Salt & Alcohol – try to cut these down. Much of the salt we eat is found in foods like crisps, bacon, soups and ready meals; try to eat these foods in moderation and cut back on salt added when cooking or at the table; Your taste buds will adapt, I assure you! Aim to have at least two alcohol-free days per week and avoid binge drinking (saving your daily unit allowance). Alcohol is extremely high in calories.. for example, a 175ml glass of wine is equivalent to a pack of crisps, a liter of beer is equivalent to a sausage roll and 25ml of spirits is equivalent to a cookie or 25ml of ice cream. . If you drink alcohol, replace it with a non-alcoholic beverage to keep you hydrated (and full!).
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