Healthy Eating Plans Can Add Years to Your Life
We all know what the food pyramid is. However, it can be a little overwhelming to those who are always on the go. There is an easier way to be healthy. But, the first thing you should know is that it is about creating a habit of proper eating habits. What this means is that you will slowly eliminate the bad foods and snacks that you currently eat, and replace them with healthy foods from the right food groups or categories.
Say you start with lunch. Rather than grabbing a burger or sandwich from the corner store, prepare your own lunch and bring it to work with you. Prepare a meal that has a fruit, vegetable, meat, grain, and low-fat dairy product. Yes, it is that easy. Do this for a couple of days, and you will find that eating a healthy lunch is already becoming a habit for you.
After a couple of days move on to dinner then breakfast whichever meal order works best for you. Don’t forget about snacks. Many people are not aware of the fact that it is more beneficial for you to eat every 3 hours rather than two or three large meals a day. There are many options for a good, heart snack; yogurt with walnuts, egg whites with a piece of toast, an apple with peanut butter, and so-on-and-so-forth. Again, make sure your snacks are from the key food categories – fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, or nuts and grains.
You will learn, over time, to cut your portions down to proper portion sizes – typically no more than a cup and often more like A� cup. This seems like a little bit of food, especially at first, but when you are eating the right foods you will find that you are much more satisfied.
Focus on each meal and snack for a few days and within three weeks you will have found that you are eating better at least 80% of the time. This is exactly where you want to be. You do not need to eat like this all the time, rather you can allow yourself to have your favorite treat once a week. Consider this a reward for treating your body the way it deserves to be treated.
As you can see, healthy dieting will take you some time, but it will be worth it. The time you spend preparing your meals and focusing on eating better will be given back to you. Eating a diet full of health and nutrition will not only make you feel and look better, but it will help you to live longer and avoid some serious life-threatening diseases that affect thousands every day.
