Your body needs different nutrients to function correctly. The rules for ideal nutrition seem simple – have a little bit of everything from all food groups, restrict fat and you are good to go. But that is not the whole story.
Many of us may feel overwhelmed while looking at the recent fads of intermittent fasting or keto diets. You may think eating smaller portions may help in weight loss, but until you take a note of what you are consuming, you will never go down the toned road. To tell you the truth, deprivation is never the answer to an ideal body. Balance is. It is essential to get the right amount of foods to ensure a balanced diet. An ideal diet helps your body get the nutrition it needs.
Here are some tips for you to get you a boost on your nutrition journey:
- Don’t go counting calories: Did you know two Oreo cookies and one small apple have the same amount of calories? A 1000 calories of junk food looks tiny in comparison with 1000 calories of healthy food. So instead of counting calories and making your portions smaller, go for the healthy route and pick an apple instead of a pastry for your dessert.
- Fill up on Fiber: Have nuts for snacks, oats for breakfast or add beans to your salad – increase your fiber intake. Eating fiber rich foods help you keep the extra pounds off.
- Ditch that processed sugar: Everyone knows this. Eating sugary food is bad. However, did you know that some ‘healthy’ and ‘organic’ food may be rich in processed sugar too? It is important to read the labels on whatever you are eating.
- Stop thinking fat is bad: Most people try to cut fats when trying to lose weight. However, healthy fats actually help you lose weight and cutting them may do you more harm than good. Have avocadoes, nuts or olive oil to get your healthy fat dose for the day.
- Get your proteins in the morning: The typical American breakfast of cereal and milk and granola bars is very unhealthy. It is nothing but a mine of sugar. Simply swapping your sugary cereal for sauteed veggies or eggs will help you keep that weight off.
- Drink more water: People are hooked to sodas, coffees, sports drinks and milkshakes. They are drinking their weight in these fun beverages. Try to hydrate with water and switch your unhealthy drinking habits to minimize your calorie intake.
While there are many ways to incorporate ideal nutrition and healthy eating, just making small changes throughout your day can go a long way for you. Although fad diets are tempting for a quick fix, they are often unhealthy and do more harm than good. To be successful on your health and wellness journey, remember to find a plan that works for you and don’t just copy what your friends are doing.
