My Top Tips for Eating Healthy!

Regular readers know that I love healthy eating but believe in a balanced diet. Finding that healthy balance can be hard so today I thought I would share some top tips for healthy eating!

Healthy eating is an integral part of an overall healthy lifestyle that allows us to look and feel great. To help eat well and remain healthy at all times, here are some simple guidelines that you could follow.

Photograph courtesy of Real Foods

1. Don't Skip Meals

One of the most common mistakes and certainly one that I will admit to making is skipping meals, particularly breakfast. This usually leads to cravings that can be totally out of control. By the end of the day, skipping meals to consume less calories actually urges you to overeat. The secret is to eat regularly and a variety of foods. Curb hunger by snacking between meals, always paying attention to the size of your portions, though. To stay healthy, you need over 40 different nutrients. So, eat a wide variety of foods, in moderate portions. If you manage to keep your portions reasonably sized, you will be able to enjoy everything you like without having to eliminate something. A medium piece of fruit, a handful of nuts or seeds, or 50ml of ice-cream are reasonable serving sizes.

2. Eat Plenty of Carbohydrates

Potatoes, cereal, pasta, rice, and other foods rich in carbohydrates (starchy foods) should give you more than 30% of the daily calories you need. Ideally, you should eat at least one starchy food with every meal. You can eat potatoes with their skin or choose wholegrain varieties as they can help you feel full for a long time because they contain more fibre. It is a misconception that starchy foods can make you fat. They way you cook them and the fats you add when you serve them (i.e. creamy sauces on pasta) is what increases the calorie content.

3. Include Plenty of Vegetables & Fruits

Both veggies and fruit are packed with fibre and nutrients, so try to include as many of them as you can in your diet. Nutritionists advice to make sure we eat at least one orange veggie and one dark green one daily. You can do that by trying a new fruit or veggie every week, pack some raw vegetables and a couple of pieces of fruit with your lunch, arrange your meals so that half your plate is always filled with veggies at dinner or add a handful of spinach to a fruit smoothie (or whatever combination you can think of). There are hundreds of recipes online that you could turn to and enjoy fruits and veggies every day.

4. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

Being overweight increases your risk of a broad array of diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease and is a direct result of consuming more calories than you actually need (if there is no medical condition that makes you gain weight, such as hypothyroidism). To help maintain a healthy body weight, it's important to engage in any type of physical activity that suits your daily routine best. A good way to start is to walk during your lunch break. Just get on the move. Your body will thank you for that.

Needless to say, your diet should also be balanced. If you notice that you are gaining weight, just be more active and eat less.

5. Drink Plenty of Water and Drinks

The body needs plenty of fluids to keep us hydrated. Experts say that 6-8 glasses of fluid (preferably water, but also tea, milk, and soft drinks) every day is highly recommended (in warmer weather or when you are getting active, you may need more). Add that to the amount of fluids you get from the foods you eat and you can be sure your body has all it needs to prevent dehydration. Drinking fluids is also very important if you are a diabetic. However, try to avoid drinks that are high in added calories and sugar, such as fizzy drinks. Even unsweetened fruit juice should be consumed in moderation (no more than a glass a day).

Final Tips:

• Eat less salt, saturated fat, and sugar.
• Include more fish in your diet (ideally, two portions every week).
• All foods are good for you if you eat them in moderation. Just make sure you have the variety and balance required to maintain a good health. I am a true believer in all foods in moderation. So you can still enjoy the odd piece of cake!
• Start TODAY. Don't expect to make drastic changes in your lifestyle all at once. Baby steps will take you to the desired goal – to be and feel healthy.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post