Tips For Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is one of the fundamental pillars of your overall health state; combined with exercise it is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal to prevent a long list of chronic and even fatal diseases. Every time you choose to eat healthy food, you are building the basis of a healthy lifestyle, not only preventing diseases, but also increasing your sense of wellbeing and radically improving your quality of life.

Therefore, it’s very important to dedicate part of your time to become knowledgeable about healthy eating habits, plan a suitable shopping list, and prepare a menu that allows you to eat in a healthy way within your budget. Healthy eating can be done within any budget: all you have to do is learn to identify and make the right choices when you go to the grocery store, when you prepare your food, when you go out to eat. There are many options, but you can always substitute a nutritionally poor food by one that benefits you.

If you combine healthy eating with daily exercise you will have in your hands the two most effective tools to improve yourself: you will look better, your energy level will improve, your mind will sharpen, you are going to feel less tired and sleep better - and the best part of it all is that this can be done naturally, without spending extra money and time doing expensive and sometimes even harmful treatments to look or feel better.

I can assure you that every step that you take in the direction of a healthier diet will bring you more benefits that you can count, and you will feel it and know by your own experience how it will improve your life now; you don’t have to wait months or year, the difference begins at the very moment you decide to start to eat in a healthier way. When you start to take better choices, you can progressively incorporate them to the daily routine, and after some time they become a habit - a healthy one!

Here are some tips to help you get started on your journey:

  • Eat at least three times a day; ideally, five times a day, including two snacks, one before lunch and one before dinner. This way you can eat smaller portions, so the components of these meals are going to be absorbed better, and you’ll obtain more nutrients and vitamins from the food. This also helps control your appetite, since you will not have to eat driven by hunger, which can lead to overeating and impulsive nutritional choices.
  • Enjoy your food: if you take your time to eat and savor smaller portions you’ll feel more satisfied than when eating quickly or while paying attention to other things. Focus on your meal and try to recognize the sensations that signal fullness before, during, and after eating – you’ll see that your body adjusts itself naturally when you become more mindful about your eating habits.
  • Avoid eating extra-large portions. Fast food restaurants and XL groceries have skewed our perception of the amounts of food that are good for us. When you go out, try to order smaller items, share your plate with someone else, or ask for a doggy bag to take home. At home, use smaller plates, bowls and glasses, and separate portions of food beforehand so that you’re aware of how much you’re consuming.
  • Replace the typical but less healthy options of refined grains and full-fat products by whole grains and fat-free dairy. These have the same amount of essential nutrients as their counterparts or more, and are better for your cardiovascular health. Even if you don’t replace all the products, even switching half of them (say, eating whole-wheat bread but not pasta) is of great help.
  • Drink water instead of sugary drinks such as soda, sports drink or natural juices with sugar – infused water is a great option if you want something tasty with some nutrients but no calories, as is tea. Sugar-free soda can be used sparingly and sports drinks may be used after intense activity but they’re not suitable for regular, constant consumption.
  • Pay attention to calories. A good starting point to manage your weight is to see how many calories you specifically need per day, first without taking exercise into account, then registering in different kinds of activities. There are plenty of calorie and exercise tracking apps to help you out.
  • Read labels thoroughly; besides checking the amount of calories, take note of the amount of sodium and saturated fat of each product to make an informed choice when buying foods that can be surprisingly high in both, such as frozen meals or canned items. Check for items with “low/reduced sodium,” “low-fat” or “fat-free” stickers.
  • Prioritize these ingredients: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or 1% milk and dairy products. These foods have the nutrients you need to be in good health, such as potassium, calcium, vitamin D and fiber. Make them the focal point of your meals and snacks.
  • Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables; when you’re preparing your meals, choose colorful, nutrient-rich vegetables such as pumpkin, tomatoes and broccoli, and add fruits to your main dish or side dishes such as salads – you can also put them aside as a dessert or a snack, preferably combined with a source of protein, like yogurt.
  • Regarding fats, use olive oil (extra virgin if possible) instead other vegetable oils, and avoid rich dressings and sauces since they’re a hidden source of calories; instead, learn to prepare them at home. Make sure to include other sources of healthy fats in small quantities, such as nuts and salmon, which have omega 3 and 6. There is proof that this benefits your cardiovascular health.