It seems
there's
always a new
diet
treatment
hitting the
market, or
talk of a
magic pill
that will
eliminate
fat. Whether
you choose
to partake
in any of
these new
treatments
or not, it's
wise to
remember the
basics of
healthy
eating.
Just what is
"healthy
eating?" Is
it only
fruits and
vegetables?
Is it never
eating
sugar? It is
eating only
organic
foods? Well,
to some
people, that
is healthy
eating. But,
for the
purposes of
this
article,
when I refer
to healthy
eating I'm
referring to
balancing
the food you
eat to stay
healthy. By
keeping your
diet
balanced,
you'll find
you are
giving your
body the
vitamins and
minerals it
needs to
stay strong.
This in turn
gives you
energy and
helps you
maintain a
healthy
weight.
What are
some basic
tips for
healthy
eating?
1. Don't
skip any
meals
That might
sound odd to
some people
who believe
you can only
lose weight
when you eat
less. But,
in fact,
skipping
meals is not
healthy, and
can actually
keep you
from
maintaining
your desired
weight. Why?
Well, one
reason is
that your
metabolism
increases
when you
eat. And,
when the
metabolism
is
increased,
you burn
more energy.
Eating 3
meals with
snacks in
between is
the ideal
way to
maintain
both energy
and a
healthy
weight.
What's that,
you say, a
snack in
between?
That's
right; a
snack in
between
smaller
meals is
actually
good for
you. First,
it can help
you not feel
so hungry at
meals. And,
when you
don't feel
so hungry at
meals, you
tend not to
eat as much.
And, second,
eating 5
smaller
meals a day
helps
prevent the
large spikes
and drops in
your blood
sugar
associated
with fewer
meals a day.
2. Chew
slowly
This advice
may seem a
bit corny,
but it makes
sense. When
you wolf
down your
food you
aren't
giving your
brain time
to register
when you’re
full, which
takes about
20 minutes.
By the time
you finally
get the
signal it's
too late and
you've eaten
far more
than you
needed to.
Therefore,
if you chew
your food
slowly it
slows down
your eating.
3. Learn how
to prepare
foods
Instead of
deep frying,
try
grilling,
stir frying,
microwaving,
baking,
boiling and,
in the case
of
vegetables -
raw. And, if
you really
insist on
using butter
for cooking,
try a butter
substitute.
I use a
yogurt
butter which
is half the
fat of
regular
butter, but
tastes the
same as real
butter. If
you use
butter to
add flavor
to food, try
something
else for a
change, like
lemon,
vinegar or
dried herbs
and spices.
Before you
eat any type
of meat, be
sure to trim
it of fat
and skin.
4. Avoid
alot of
sugar
If you can
eliminate
sugar, good
for you,
but, if you
can't, at
least cut
down. Drinks
that contain
sugar are a
major source
of empty
calories. If
you plan to
drink sugary
drinks,
don't go
overboard -
limit
yourself to
one a day.
5. Skip the
diet foods
If you
follow
healthy
eating
guidelines,
there's
really no
need to buy
prepared
diet foods.
A good
number of
these foods
contain
chemicals
and
additives
that can be
counterproductive
to a healthy
diet. A
healthy
portion of
"real" food
beats a
heaping of
prepared
diet food
any day, and
doesn't
leave you
feeling
deprived.
Eating
healthier
doesn't have
to be
difficult.
The key is
to be
mindful of
what and how
you’re
eating.
Noticing is
the first
step in
changing
behavior.
