For some reason, eating healthy has a different meaning for different people. For most people, it is everything to do with what you put in your mouth.
Well, that might be true, however, eating healthy is a combination of selecting the right food and also incorporating good eating habits into your eating.
Proper eating habits will make it easier for you to enjoy healthy meals, for instance, our delicious vegetarian katsu curry, and get the full benefits.
This post is going to look at how you can incorporate some of these habits into your life as a way of eating healthier. Let’s get right in!
Everything in moderation
Eating in moderation is indeed the key to healthy eating. Today, many people advocate for leaving out certain food because they are deemed unhealthy.
This kind of mentality cannot be any further from the truth. Moderation is everything, enjoying a sweet treat like ice cream once in a while and in small portions is not bad.
No food in its entirety is bad, success in healthy eating is all about consumption in moderation.
A good way of practicing eating in moderation is portion control. Large servings will always lead to overeating, therefore, consumption of too many calories in one sitting.
If possible measure your portion size just to be sure you are getting in enough calories in every meal.
However, remember that your portion sizes are relative to how active your lifestyle is. There is no one portion fits all mentality for healthy eating.
Go easy on sugars
First off, we consume sugars every day in more ways than we can imagine. Some of it begins right in our kitchen, for instance, do you add sugar or honey to your pancakes? I know you can relate to this.
If possible, cut down on the amount of sugar you put in your meals by half. However, if you love your pancakes sweet, then you have the option of using non-sugar sweeteners.
Do this to your recipes, reduce all the sugar by half, and use other additives, for instance, vanilla and nutmeg to improve the taste.
Another way you can keep the sugars at arm’s length is by swapping out the sugar-filled soft drinks and replace them with sugar-free alternatives.
The sugar-filled soft drinks add a lot of empty calories. Out of all drinks, or beverages, water remains to be the best of them all.
Cut out unhealthy fats
Limiting your overall unhealthy fat intake is a good habit to develop if you are to be successful at healthy eating.
One source of unhealthy fats is the use of solid fats, for instance, butter or margarine. Instead of using butter in your recipe for extra taste, you could flavour your food with other natural herbs.
Also, when buying meat, go for the lean cuts or strip the fats off the meat before cooking. When it comes to spreads, margarine is not the best for your body, use other healthy low-calorie alternatives for your bread.
You should be cautious of processed foods and always read the labels and look at the fat percentage before picking any food or snack off the shelves of a store.
Eat more fiber
Incorporating more fiber in your diet is paramount. Fiber helps in reducing cholesterol levels in the body and also prevents constipation. So how do you include more fiber in your diet?
To begin fiber is a type of carb only found in plant-based food. Whole food carbs all have plenty of fiber that is good for your body.
Boost your diet with fiber-rich food, for instance, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and bran. Other than fiber, consuming fresh fruits and veggies also contains the highest levels of minerals that are also beneficial to your body.
Remember to also increase your water intake to match your fiber intake levels. This is key in helping prevent constipation and also leaves you feeling fuller for longer.
Don’t skip meals
One healthy eating habit is the capacity of recognizing that every meal is as important to our bodies as any other.
Don’t skip breakfast! This is one eating vice that so many of us are guilty of. Skipping meals lowers the body’s metabolism hence reducing the number of calories burnt during the day and leaving you feeling tired.
Also skipping meals will only leave you feeling more hungry and therefore, you are likely to end up indulging in whatever comes your way.
Be sure to eat breakfasts, it is good for the body’s metabolism and will also keep hunger at bay until you have to eat your second meal.
It is also a good idea to carry healthy snacks with you to work or school. Preparing for hunger is a good habit to develop, you will always have something healthy to eat and this will help you reduce your consumption of unhealthy processed junk food.
Don’t be too hard on yourself
There is nothing like a perfect diet plan. It is ok sometimes to deviate from your healthy choices of food and enjoy a pizza night with your loved ones.
Give yourself some wiggle room on your quest for healthy eating. Healthy eating is not a destination, but a continuous journey of self-improvement, so enjoy every bit of it.
Punishing yourself for every slip-up will not do a lot of good for your motivation.
Take away
There you have it folks, a guide to eating healthy and getting the full benefits for better living. Remember, you don’t have to implement each one of these steps right away. Implement one at a time as you get comfortable with this approach of eating.
Bringing in one change at a time in your diet will definitely set you up for a successful journey.
Again, your diet does not have to be perfect, give it structure and also room for a few slip-ups as you nourish your body for optimal performance.
Truth is, crash diets only work for so long, and because of that having a healthy eating lifestyle will serve you longer than any diet being advertised out there.