How’s your diet? How would you rate it on a scale of one to 10 in regard to it being healthy? If you’re on the low end, you may need to improve it, as diet plays a big role in our health. An unhealthy diet is linked to obesity, heart problems, liver problems, high blood pressure, kidney problems – basically eating poorly can make every part of you sick. When you eat healthy, though, then your body is well nourished with important vitamins and nutrients.
You may think that eating healthy is difficult, but we promise you it’s really not. Just follow these tips – not only will you improve your diet today, but you’ll be eating healthy for many years to come.
Tips for eating healthy
Control your portions
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You can enjoy all sorts of foods as long as you control your portions. So many of us eat out on the regular, and it’s very easy for our portions to become out of control. When eating at a restaurant, split your dish in half and take the rest home with you so you don’t overeat. When eating at home, avoid going for seconds or overfilling your plate. In fact, start using smaller plates as your mind will be tricked into believing that you are consuming more than you really are.
Opt for fresh food
When the food comes in a box or bag, we tend to eat too much of it. But when it’s something that is fresh, you will stick to smaller portions and fresh foods are healthier for you compared to boxed and packaged food.
Shop the perimeter of grocery stores
The perimeter of a grocery store tends to contain whole foods, whereas the aisles tend to be stacked with the processed foods.
Don’t cut out foods
Trying to completely eliminate some of your favorite foods makes sticking to healthy eating even more difficult. All things can be consumed in moderation and in the right portion. This also helps keep cravings at bay and ensures you stick to healthy eating.
Watch your beverages
Beverages contain calories, yet many of us drink soda and alcohol without even thinking about how many additional calories that add to our diet. For the most part, you should stick with water and reduce your intake of soda and alcohol.
Increase your activity
To maintain a healthy weight, you need to burn calories you take in. Studies have shown that people who work out tend to eat healthier because they don’t want to ruin their workout efforts.
Stock up with the right snacks
Keeping chips, cookies, and chocolates in your cupboards and drawers will tempt you to eat them. But if you surround yourself with healthy snacks like nuts, carrot sticks, and hummus, then your snacking will be healthier.
Cook more
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When you cook meals at home, you can control what ingredients are in the meal. Furthermore, you can cook extras so you have leftovers for the next day.
Get a buddy
If you’re the only person in your group of friends or family who is eating healthy, it can be quite challenging to stay onboard. Instead, find a buddy who can support you and work together to try and achieve the goal of eating healthy.
Related: 8 unhealthy foods that are surprisingly good for you
