HEALTHY EATING TIPS
What works best for one person when it comes to making healthy food choices, may not always be the best choice for another. Healthy eating is not about depriving yourself of the foods you love or staying unrealistically thin, but rather about having more energy, stabilizing your mood and feeling healthy.
Finding the healthy diet that works for you can take some experimentation and time, but instead of obsessing over calories or specific food groups, focus more on your overall eating pattern. By using these simple tips, you can learn how to create a varied, tasty and healthy diet that is good for your body and mind.
- Avoid packaged and processed food by opting for food in its most natural state. Think of your diet in terms of colour, freshness and variety instead of being overly concerned with counting calories.
- Eat more fibre. The feeling of fullness will stay with you much longer since fibre stays in the stomach longer than other foods. Fibre also moves fat through your digestive system so less of it gets absorbed. Women aged 18 to 50 need at least 25 grams of fibre per day
- Cut down on refined carbs and sugar as it can lead to a dramatic spike in blood sugar, followed by a rapid crash which leaves you feeling hungry and prone to overeating. Rather eat complex carbs such as oatmeal, brown rice, beans, fruit and vegetables. You’ll feel fuller, more satisfied, and have more energy.
- Don’t replace fat with carbs. Healthy sources of saturated fat, such as whole fat yogurt, often gets replaced with low-fat versions that are packed with artificial sweetener or sugar to make up for the loss in taste.
- Don’t think of certain foods as off-limits. It is natural to want the foods more when it is banned. Rather reduce the portion sizes of unhealthy foods and think of them as occasional indulges.
- Eat enough high-quality protein. Protein also makes you feel fuller for longer and fills you with extra energy for exercising. Adult women should eat at least 0.8g of high quality protein per kilogram of body weight per day
- Listen to what your body truly needs!
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