Simple Tips for Healthier Eating

At its simplest, eating healthy is all about balancing your energy consumption and energy expenditure. Consuming high calorie meals or drinks can quickly add up, and you do not want to overdo it in the gym to work off a thousand extra calories. For a maintenance diet, the daily recommendation is that men consume 2,500 calories and women consume 2,000 calories. Let's make this easier. We are going to provide some tips to help you make healthy lifestyle changes.

Tips for Healthier Eating
Eating healthier can be a struggle for many people. We get that. That is why we want to help you out with some tips to make this lifestyle change a bit easier.

Gradually Make Changes
This is the first tip for a reason. As mentioned, eating healthier can be difficult for many, and there is no reason to make this change harder by forcing yourself to cut out everything you love right away. If that is easier for you, then go ahead. For those of us who struggle, start by cutting out sugary drinks and try to stick to water and tea. Once you are accustomed to that, cut out fast food and unhealthy restaurant foods. The gradual shift in changes will help you make these a permanent lifestyle change.

Eat Slower
Eating at a slower pace allows your body to communicate that you are full at the proper time. It is much easier to overeat, and not realise it until it is too late, when you are eating quickly.

Drink Water
While staying hydrated is required for your health, it is also beneficial for weight loss and maintenance. Drinking a cup of water before a meal will help reduce your appetite and make you feel full faster during your meal.

Make a List
Keep an active list going of items you will need from the supermarket. Check Coles online catalogue for sales and prices on items that you know you will need. Most importantly, do not forget the list at home when you go shopping.
Keeping a list will help keep your focus on items that you need, and help deter you from buying unnecessary sweets or fattening foods.

Eat Fruits and Veggies
Our bodies do best when we eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. You can change it up each day by adding some strawberries to your breakfast cereal or berries and a banana to a smoothie. Fresh, frozen, dried, canned, and juiced fruits and vegetables can be found at great prices in your local Aldi catalogue. Make your dinner plate colourful with a variety of vegetables.

Choose Healthier Ways to Cook
Avoid fried foods as much as possible and opt for healthier ways to cook food. The simple carbohydrates used for breading and the oil for frying quickly add many calories to an otherwise healthy meal. Instead, try baking, stewing, broiling, slow-cooking, or pressure cooking.

Meal Prep
Pick a day of the week when you have the most time and prep your meals for the week ahead. Start slow and prep one meal at first. If breakfast is your biggest struggle, make some healthy muffins or overnight oats on your free day.

Be More Active
Getting exercise is part of becoming a healthier individual. In our busy lives, this can be hard for some people. However, get in as much extra movement as possible. You can get some activity in by parking your vehicle in the back of parking lots so you have to walk further, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, taking a walk after breakfast, or getting some running in by taking your dog out for intense playtime.

Exercise helps strengthen your body and will aid in weight loss, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and increase your energy levels. Research also shows that exercise improves your mood and can decrease stress and anxiety.

Take Vitamin D and Omega-3 Supplements
Unless your diet is high in fatty seafood, you may want to consider adding a supplement for both vitamin D and omega-3. Both of these nutrients are vital to your health, but many diets lack in variety that provides adequate amounts of each. Check for price drops in your local Woolworth catalogue on these supplements.

Focus on How You Feel
Always keep your mind on the positives when starting these new lifestyle changes. Focus on how good you feel after eating healthier and getting more exercise. You may feel less fatigued, bloated, and weak. Use the extra boost in energy to keep yourself going strong.

Conclusion
Your health affects your body, mind, and soul on so many levels. Taking these steps to begin a healthier lifestyle will start to slowly help you feel more energetic and be more confident in your day to day life.
Everything from how you prepare food to how often you eat will play a role in your success. Take the change slow, and make sure to pay attention to how your body feels as you go through these changes. The happier you feel as you make the changes, the easier it will come to you. The time has come for you to take that leap of faith in yourself and do what is necessary for your health.

Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash