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Healthy eating isn’t always easy to incorporate into your life. Here are 21 healthy eating habits that can benefit your health and support your overall well-being
Healthy eating is something you may want to incorporate into your life, but it can be challenging to do. Here are 21 healthy eating habits that can benefit your health and support your overall well-being.
21 healthy eating habits to follow
- Set goals: Before embarking on a diet or exercise plan, you should be clear about your current health so that you can set specific goals, whether it’s to lose weight or simply eat more nutritious foods.
- Create a schedule: Building your new diet plan into your routine can help you adhere to a schedule and keep track of your eating habits. You can ask a nutritionist to help you create a realistic schedule.
- Keep a food journal: Writing down what you eat and when can help you be more mindful about what you are putting into your body.
- Start simple: Change is a slow process. Make changes in your diet gradually instead of cutting out certain foods all at once. It may take about a month or more to reduce your cravings.
- Have a fitness plan: Healthy eating and exercise go hand in hand. When you work out regularly, you may be more motivated to stick to your diet plan. Get moving and find activities that you enjoy, even if it’s simply walking 30 minutes a day.
- Stay hydrated: Maintain adequate hydration by drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. This can help you avoid snacking or overeating.
- Don’t skip meals: Avoid skipping breakfast or other meals. Make sure to fuel yourself properly with enough nutritious foods.
- Don’t crash diet: Crash diets often fail because they are extreme and results are only temporary. Go for the long haul, not a quick fix.
- Eat at home: Sticking to home-cooked meals allows you to have control over the ingredients and portion sizes of your meals.
- Learn how to cook: Try to cook more for yourself. This will make you more mindful of different foods that you are consuming and keep you in control of what goes into your diet.
- Meal prep: Planning your meals ahead of time can help you avoid the temptation to eat something unhealthy, since it takes away the burden of having to decide what to eat each day.
- Eat more protein: Protein not only helps you stay full for longer, but it also helps you build and repair muscle tissue.
- Snack on fruits: Swap your sweets and chocolates for fruits and nuts, which are nutritious sources of fuel.
- Eat slowly: According to studies, it takes 15-20 minutes for the intestines to send signals to the brain indicating that you are full. Eating slowly can help you reduce the risk of overeating, heartburn, gas, and bloating.
- Avoid carbonated drinks: Even though some sodas claim to be “low-calorie” or “zero-calorie,” the truth is that many of these beverages contain chemicals that can cause permanent harm to the liver, heart, and kidneys.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking: Alcohol and smoking can drastically upset your system and prevent your body from absorbing the nutrients from the foods you eat.
- Control portion sizes: Eat smaller meals more frequently to allow your body enough time to fully digest your food.
- Eat at regular intervals: In addition to being mindful of what you eat, it is important to be mindful of when you eat. Eat at regular intervals to help you avoid cravings.
- Eat before 8 PM: For most people, their metabolism begins to decelerate about 12 PM. As a result, the later you eat your food, the slower your digestion will be.
- Read labels: When you go grocery shopping, read through nutrition labels to make sure you are avoiding hidden ingredients that could jeopardize your healthy eating habits.
- Plan ahead: When you go out to dinner with friends, look at the menu ahead of time to make sure there are healthy options.
What are the benefits of healthy eating habits?
Every day, your body requires fuel in the form of food. Fueling your body with healthy foods has the benefits on your immune system, bone health, cognitive health, and mental health.
Healthy eating habits can also help you prevent diseases such as type II diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases, which are all closely linked to dietary habits. With proper nutrition and exercise, you can lower your risk of developing chronic illnesses.
While most foods contain multiple nutrients, no single food contains all the nutrients your body requires. Eat a range of healthy foods to ensure your diet is nutritionally balanced and has all the elements your body requires to function properly, including macronutrients and micronutrients:
- Macronutrients
- Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are the three macronutrients that give energy to your body in the form of calories.
- Carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source, fats improve vitamin absorption, and proteins are essential for muscular growth and maintenance.
- Micronutrients
- Along with macronutrients, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are vital for your body to function effectively.
- Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, as well as iron, calcium, zinc, copper, iodine, manganese, and cobalamin, are micronutrients essential for cell development, metabolism, and enzyme function.
QUESTION
According to the USDA, there is no difference between a “portion” and a “serving.”
See Answer
What foods should you incorporate into your diet?
According to some studies eating fresh, organically grown foods such as the following could increase your life expectancy:
- Fennel
- Turmeric
- Bitter melon or gourd
- Sweet potato
- Shiitake mushroom
- Burdock
- Tofu
- Seaweed
- Beans
- Nuts
- Whole grains
- Red chili peppers
Try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Fruits and vegetables have properties that can fight free radical damage in the body.
Eating whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans, as well as colorful foods with polyphenols, can also improve your health.