Nutrition-related habits of healthy people
The good news is it’s super easy to change…if you make little, consistent changes starting today. Don’t just read the following suggestions and forget about them. Turn them into action items. If you make tiny improvements and healthy decisions every day they will have a huge impact on your long-term health.The following are nutrition-related habits of healthy people.
Drink water - Among other things, water transports nutrients in your body, flushes toxins out and is necessary for digestion. Drinking eight, 8-ounce glasses of water is thought to be a pretty good daily target. If you’re looking to shed fat, drink a tall glass of water prior to each meal. You’ll feel fuller and be less likely to overeat.
Eat slowly - Make a conscious decision to eat every meal slower. The benefits are better digestion, better hydration and greater satisfaction. Plus you’ll likely consume fewer calories per meal. When you eat slowly, your body has time to send signals in regard to how full you are. Two tips for eating slower: Put down your utensils between bites; and if you’re eating with others around you, look for the slowest eater and mimic them.
Eat breakfast – We’ve all heard this, and for good reason. A 2015 study by the American Friends of Tel Aviv University revealed that people who ate a bigger breakfast and a smaller dinner had significantly lower levels of insulin, glucose, and triglycerides which translates into a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. Not to mention setting your body up for success ☺
Focus on certain foods – Specifically fruit, vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, milk, total polyunsaturated fatty acids, fish, omega-3s, and dietary fiber.
Limit or eliminate unhealthy foods – Such as unprocessed meats, processed meats, sugar, saturated fat, trans fat, dietary cholesterol, and sodium.
Educate Yourself! – Just because it sounds healthy, doesn’t mean that it is. There’s an entire industry out there thinking up ways to lure you into eating their unhealthy foods! Read nutrition labels religiously. Calculate how much sugar, salt, and fat is contained in each serving. Make sure servings are within the recommended daily intake level. Read the ingredient list. Make it your mission to know as much about the food you eat as possible.
Keep a journal – Each day, in addition to writing down what you ate, how often you ate and when, add in how you were feeling throughout the day. Were you hungry? Stressed? Bored? Tired? At the end of each week, note what you did right, what you did wrong and then identify any eating patterns that needs improving.
Start making small changes today and your approach to your overall food consumption. I guarantee in as little as 30 days, you’ll notice a profound difference in how you look and feel.
If you are not hitting your goals as quickly as you’d like, I’ll show you a way that you can. If you’d like to KICK START your way to your health and fitness goals, email Nivi@strongtogetherfitness.com to set up a time to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff here at Strong Together Chester.
