Easy Ways to Start Eating Healthy

Want to know how you can start eating healthy? This article outlines some simple ways you can do that.

Health and fitness are something we all should be mindful of. Good health is something that comes from small good practices and a healthy lifestyle. Our food habits play a vital role in it too. Being conscious and eating healthy does most of it for you. This is the reason more people are now concerned about eating healthy.

Making healthy food choices is not something easy to do. If you are struggling or don’t know how to start, then this article will surely make it easier for you. This article points out some easy ways you can start eating healthy.

Choose Good Carbs

For some reason, people always consider carbs to be bad for you. As a result, when they think of eating healthy, they just cut down carbs from their diet. That’s not how it should be. Each food category has its own benefits, which can’t be substituted with another category. So eliminating an entire category might be harmful to your health.

An ideal meal should have about 30% of carbohydrates in it. Carbs are basically made of starches and sugars. They act as fuel for your body. Most of our energy comes from carbs. And most importantly, it’s the only food category our brain absorbs. So skipping on carbs should not be an option. Instead, what you can do is opt for good carbs.

First of all, try to avoid refined carbohydrates. They tend to lose most of their fibers but gain sugar and other unwanted chemicals. That is exactly what we don’t want. Most people tend to go for processed or refined carbohydrates because they are easy to prepare. As a result, they are not getting any possible benefits from carbs.

Choose whole grains. They are rich in fiber. Fiber keeps our digestive system clear and boosts metabolism. Along with that, high-fiber foods are also an excellent source of vitamin B and many other essential minerals like zinc, potassium, iron, and magnesium.

Emphasis on Fruits and Vegetables

Consuming a good amount of fruits and vegetables is essential for staying healthy. As a kid, we all probably heard this a thousand times. Can’t complain actually; it’s the truth. And science has enough data to back this up.

According to research, fruits and vegetables play an excellent role in preventing many diseases. Incorporating a lot of vegetables can save you from diseases like cancer, strokes, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The more you consume fresh fruits and vegetables, the chances of you getting cardiovascular disease decrease.

Every fruit and vegetable is different from each other. They all provide various nutrients. Each fruit provides different vitamins and minerals. The color of the fruit can help you identify what you are getting. For instance, red and orange fruits and a great source of vitamin A. Some of these fruits and veggies are mango, papaya, watermelon, grapefruit, apricot, tangerine, carrot, tomato, etc.

On the other hand, green fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamin C. Some of the examples are lime, grapes, green mango, kiwi, green apple, pears, broccoli, avocado, spinach, celery, honeydew, leek, lettuce, okra, cabbage, peas, zucchini, etc. These fruits and vegetables don’t just contain vitamins, but also have a very high amount of minerals like zinc, magnesium, iron, potassium, Follet, and more.

Because they are all rich in different nutrients, it is suggested that you try to incorporate as many colors as you can to your plate.

It makes your dinner balanced and insta-worthy at the same time. Try to have at least three colors along with green foods in your salad. The more the better.

You might find it difficult to incorporate enough fruits and vegetables into your diet if you are just starting out. You can find many mouth-watering recipes online that will surely please you even if you are a picky eater.

You may find that you are leaving out vegetables on your plate even after following these recipes. A quick little tip for you is to eat all your veggies first before continuing.  This way there’s no way you can leave your veggies behind. Moreover, you will get full quicker which will help you lose weight as well.

Protein

Protein is the king of all nutrients. The fast yet effective benefits you get from protein will surprise you. The essential macronutrient made from carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen seems to have some superpowers.

Protein is known for increasing muscle and bone strength. If you are into bodybuilding then you would know how important it is to increase muscle mass. Protein generally takes longer to digest as compared to carbohydrates. So if you are consuming protein, you are most likely to stay full for a long time.

Because protein keeps you full for a long time, you don’t need to think about snacks all the time. It also reduces appetite and hunger levels so you can easily go longer without having anything. As a result, your overall calorie count remains low and it’s easier to lose weight.

Meat is an excellent source of protein. Be it chicken, beef, or fish, it’s rich in protein. Eggs are a great source of protein too. They are easy to cook and are readily available. So, you can easily incorporate protein into any meal by adding eggs or milk. Milk is an excellent source of protein as well.

Fish is one of the best sources of protein. Apart from being protein-rich, it has amino acids, minerals, and omega 6. Oily fish is especially packed with nutrients. Some examples of oily fish are salmon, sardines, herring, and trout. These fish types have omega 6 fatty acids and protein. They are basically superfoods. They are known for improving eyesight and preventing cardiovascular diseases. So, try to incorporate fatty fish into your diet at least twice a week.

This might worry you if you are vegan or vegetarian. But the good news is there are many plant-based protein options as well. Lentils, chickpeas, almonds, cashews, peanuts, tofu, quinoa, chia seeds (or any seed in general), and broccoli are some excellent sources of plant-based proteins.

Even if you are not a vegetarian, you should try to balance between plant-based and animal proteins. You can incorporate beans as nuts as your mid-day snack.

Choose Good Fats

For a very long time, health-conscious people considered fats to be their biggest enemy. Many used fat-free or very low-fat diets with a view to lose weight. Even today, many live in this misconception that fats are something you should stay away from.

The truth is, fats are vital and they are not something we should stay away from. In fact, we should try to incorporate fats into our diet. Yes, there are both good fats and bad fats, and we should aim for good fats only.

Fats are essential because fats help our body absorb vitamins A, D, and E. These vitamins are fat-soluble. This means if you don’t have enough fat in your diet, your body might not be able to absorb vitamins A, D, and E from your diet. Fats also promote healthy skin. It’s also very beneficial for the liver and heart.

As mentioned before, only good fats are beneficial for us. Good fats are referred to plant based fats such as vegetable oils, and oils made from nuts and seeds. These include sunflower oil, olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soy oil, and corn oil. Animal-based fats such as fish oils and animal fats are good too, but they need to be consumed in moderation.

Bad fats refer to saturated fats, processed fats, and trans fats. They are extremely harmful. They increase the possibilities of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and high blood pressure. Consuming them in a large quantity or consuming them for an extended period can also invite diseases like diabetes and cancer. So, abstaining from them or at least limiting them is a must.

Make Small Changes

Now that we are done with the basics, let’s talk about some little changes in your day-to-day life that can have big impacts on your health. One common mistake many people make is to skip breakfast. Some people think it would help them lose weight while others skip it just because of laziness.

This is something that should be avoided at all costs. Breakfast should be the heaviest meal of the day. It is supposed to give you energy for the rest of the day. So, make sure to pay attention to your breakfast. Breakfast should be protein-rich and balanced with carbs and greens.

The next change you can make is to change your cooking technique. Instead of frying, opt for baking. It will give you similar effects without having to eat something drenched in oil. You can even invest in an air fryer. These smart devices give identical results to frying but the catch is that it uses hot air to do so.

This next tip might not sound like something special but it will surely make it easier for you to eat healthily. That is to make a grocery list before you go shopping and try to avoid buying unhealthy snack options and processed food. If you don’t have them at home, you won’t feel the urge to eat them.

Last, but certainly not least, drink water. For a body made up of 70%  water, it is obviously essential. Be sure to drink enough water. Tracking your water intake is something smart to do. This way you will know if you need to drink more or not.

To Sum Up

Start following these easy tips today and get ready for a healthier tomorrow.