Healthy eating is not about strict adherence to a specific diet philosophy, staying unrealistically thin or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Neither is it about counting every calorie you take in, unless you must lose weight under the supervision of a physician or dietician to save your life.
Foot Solutions
What does make sense, and what should be the focus of healthy eating, is making changes in your eating habits that make you feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of diseases associated with obesity.
There is a plethora of information offered through the media including reality TV, advertisements and the Internet that focuses on excessive exercising, counting calories, eating only specific foods or avoiding certain foods altogether to get or keep the body you've always wanted.
Supposedly, following these ploys conveys to others that you have a healthy lifestyle - but at what cost and sacrifice? If you truly need to shed a few pounds on your way to being healthier, then please consider some sound basic guidelines as you set out on your quest.
Simplify.
Instead of stressing over counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think in terms of color, variety or freshness. Focus on adding more fruits and vegetables to dishes you love.
If you consider including fresh produce in your cooking and selecting them as your snack of choice, you will reduce your cravings for less-healthy foods because you will already be full. It is also sound advice to fill half of your dinner plate with veggies.
Consider "how" you eat.
It is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up kids.
Ways to slow down include eating with others whenever possible, taking time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes, listen to your body to see if you are eating everything on your plate out of habit or are you really still hungry, and eat a healthy breakfast with smaller meals throughout the day.
Water - a vital part of a healthy diet.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain plenty of water and can help with hydration, especially when you are looking for an alternative to your eighth glass of water for the day.
Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains.
Healthy carbohydrates include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. These digest slowly keeping insulin levels stable and helping you feel full longer.
Unhealthy carbs are foods made with white flour, refined sugar, and white rice. These digest more quickly and can cause spikes in sugar levels and energy.
Include plenty of fiber.
Dietary fiber is found in plant foods - fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. It also helps you feel full longer and helps maintain blood sugar levels.
Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help lower blood fats - this type of fiber is found in beans, fruit and oat products.
Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water so it passes directly through the digestive system. It's found in whole grain products and vegetables.
Both types of fiber are important for healthy digestion.
Additional key points to keep in mind when trying to eat more healthy and maintaining a healthy weight include putting protein in perspective, adding calcium and vitamin D for strong bones, limiting sugar, salt and refined grains, and planning quick and easy meals ahead of time.
Finally, a well-stocked kitchen and a good variety of healthy snacks and recipes on hand will aid in the quest to healthy eating. It does require a certain mindset to achieve but it can be done with a bit of planning and discipline without all the hype of specialty diets or extreme fitness plans.
Kathleen Riggs is the Utah State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for Iron County.source: thespectrum
No comments:
Post a Comment