10 Tips For Healthy Eating Habits To Get You Started

By Neha

Thursday, January 11, 2018, 11:54

Have you been still carrying your holiday weight and planning to go back to your earlier healthy eating habits? However, are you still finding it difficult? Well, this happens to everyone, as the body takes time to adjust to the new healthy eating habits.

Developing healthy eating habits is not confusing and difficult, as many would imagine. The essential steps are to eat foods which are mostly derived from plants and putting a limit to highly processed foods.

Healthy eating habits is not about strict dietary limitations or depriving yourself of the foods you love. It is about making you feel great, having more energy, improving your health and stabilizing your mood.

Eating habits can also help you to maintain a healthy weight and avoid certain health problems. Here are 10 tips for healthy eating habits that will be good for your mind as well as for your body.

1. Consume A Variety Of Foods

To maintain a healthy eating habit, eat a wide assortment of foods that will help to fight off the diseases that try to attack your body. Eating a variety of foods will give you all the nutrients and will also limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in a particular food.

2. Portion Size

If you are consuming high-calorie foods, portion size is the key. If you are eating at a restaurant, choose an appetizer that you can share with your friend. Read the food labels carefully to check their fat content and serving size to prevent yourself from consuming double the fat.

3. Eat Fresh Produce

Mix a ratio of vegetables and fruits in your diet. Include all types of coloured vegetables and fruits to provide you with the nutrients, fibre and other compounds. It will help in protecting against certain types of cancer and other diseases. Choose legumes and whole fruits and omit out canned fruits and veggies.

4. Whole Grain Foods

Include whole grains such as whole grain bread, oats, whole wheat and barley. Whole grain foods will provide you with all the nutrients that are required by the body. Overweight people who eat more of whole grains lose more weight than those who eat refined wheat.

5. Remove Refined Carbohydrates

The refined carbs in white bread, snack foods and pasta have no dietary fibre and are stripped of many essential nutrients. Also, limit foods that consist of added sugars, such as soda and processed foods. These contain empty calories and contribute to weight gain.

6. Eat Fish And Nuts

Fish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals and omega-3 fatty acids that help prevent heart diseases. Nuts also contain healthy fats that are best for your body and will not promote weight gain like any other saturated fats.

10 Health Benefits Of Eating Fish Daily

7. Cut Down On Red Meat

Red meat and processed meat contain saturated fats that may increase the LDL (bad) cholesterol. To keep your cholesterol levels under control, choose lean meat and low-fat dairy products. Lean meat like chicken breasts and shrimps contains high protein but does not contain saturated fat.

8. Omit Trans Fats

Trans fats are found in hydrogenated vegetable oil found in commercial baked goods, snack foods and fast foods. This trans fat raises the bad cholesterol and reduces the good cholesterol. In order to maintain a healthy eating habit, you definitely need to omit out trans fats.

9. Increase Potassium

Consume more of potassium-rich fruits that will help to lower your blood pressure by balancing out the negative effects of salt. Potassium is also one of the important minerals that the body relies on heavily to function properly.

Top 12 Potassium-rich Fruits That You Should Start Eating Now

10. Get Your Dose Of Calcium And Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D is vital for bone health. Get calcium from dairy products and if you are not able to take calcium from foods, take a calcium supplement. On the other hand, vitamin D is required for keeping your bones strong and the best source of vitamin D comes from sunlight.

11. Limit Alcohol

The intake of alcohol in moderation is fine but an increase in intake of alcohol will lead to a wide range of health problems. It may impair your ability to drive and may increase the risk of certain cancers. Instead, you can drink red wine in moderate quantities.