Being healthy is a daily habit that requires effort and constant input. Often, people go to fast food places to grab a quick bite without thinking about what they’re eating. What you put in your body has a huge influence on your overall health. That’s why we want to be educated about our food and make healthier choices. It’s no secret that we are a nation of food-shy eaters. While it’s easy to throw a slice of pizza on our plates when we are surrounded by friends, family, and coworkers, or grab some chicken tenders at the gas station when hunger strikes on a long drive, virtuous eating isn’t always as easy in private when we’re alone with only our thoughts as company.
We all know that eating right is important to our health, but that’s not the only thing we need to be eating to stay healthy. The U.S. 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans tell adults to get at least 1,600 calories, 50 to 65% of which should come from “whole grains,” a category that includes whole-grain bread, rice, fruits, and vegetables. But, even if we eat those foods, they may not be filling enough to help us avoid hunger pangs, which is why the “whole grains” label is a tipoff that we’re not eating enough. So here are some tips to have proper nutrition.
- Keep your daily calorie intake in the right amount
So you’ve decided to start eating better, but you’re hoping to get back into your old calorie intake routine. Unfortunately for you, you probably don’t have the willpower to just eat the same amount of food that you did before you started making healthier choices. You want to eat better, but you’re not sure how to manage your calorie intake. Many people have tried to follow diets, only to find that it’s not as easy as they thought.
- Keep portion sizes in commended amount
When it comes to healthy eating, portion control is crucial. It’s easy to overeat when you have so much food on your plate, and it’s even easier to eat too much when you try to save room for dessert. Remember: for every calorie you eat, your body will use a certain number of calories to do its normal functions, such as to maintain your body’s basic structure (i.e., muscle, bones, etc.).
- Eat more healthy food
In the past, most of us have been taught to eat low fat, low sodium, and low cholesterol foods, and we were told to avoid foods high in sodium and fat. Our current government guidelines encourage us to eat more vegetables, less meat, and fewer calories from fat, which has contributed to the obesity and diabetes epidemics.
Did you know that eating more of certain foods can help you lose weight? The reason is simple: the more food you eat, the less food you end up eating. That may sound obvious, but people typically don’t make food choices based on the number of calories in a given food. They make food choices based on taste, convenience, and habit, so they end up eating less food than they otherwise would.
- limit on less healthy foods
While it isn’t a hard and fast rule, eating healthier doesn’t mean you have to give up all of your favorite foods. You can eat small, healthy portions of your favorite foods, or you can find ways to eat less but still enjoy them as much as you did before.
If you’re like me, you are trying to cut back on foods that are less healthy for us. But it can be hard to cut out “unhealthy” foods since they’re often so tasty. As the weather warms up, many people are craving their favorite comfort foods: ice cream, pizza, or even a large bowl of pasta. Don’t fall into the trap of “eating everything in sight.”
Like many other people, you may be putting your health at risk by not being careful about what you eat and drink. That’s why it’s important to see a doctor about any health concerns you might have and learn how to use the information you gather from your doctor to do something about your health. If you’re like most people, you think about nutrition yet rarely do anything about it.