Many people may be putting off formal New Year’s resolutions, but others might make a fresh start and resolve to change their bad eating habits. This motivation often focuses on a restrictive or too-ambitious diet. You may quickly fail if you don’t have a solid plan. These are three simple ways to eat healthier.
Only real food
Take a look at what you have on your plate. Note what has been processed. It could be the entire meal, like a frozen dinner, or a small portion, such as the dressing in a bottled salad dressing. You can find healthier alternatives to processed foods by considering where you can get them. These are some ideas.
- Whole-grain pasta is better than enriched white-flour spaghetti.
- Quinoa is a better choice than white rice.
- Instead of buying frozen chips, make your snacks such as baked chickpeas.
- Processed foods are linked to Chronic inflammation and other health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. A healthy diet is one of the best. Mediterranean-style dining plan Rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains and nuts, seeds and nuts, and fish and poultry.
- Plan your meals and snacks
- You can set timers on your smartphone for three meals and two snacks, and you should not eat between them. This will help curb your cravings and reduce stress over what you’ll eat next. It also allows you to cut down on unnecessary snacking, which can be a challenge if there’s a fridge at work or home.
- Do not schedule late-night snacks or meals when your body’s circadian rhythm (internal clock) tells you that you should sleep. “During the circadian sleep phase, metabolism slows down; the digestive system turns down, and brain temperature drops. This is part of the process of clearing toxins while sleeping. Weight gain can be caused by eating at times other than the circadian awake phase,” Dr. Lawrence Epstein, an associate physician at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Division of Sleep and Circadian disorders.
- You may be eating too many foods if you’re like most Americans. A simple way to control portion size is to eat as much food as you would usually and then add a third or half of your fare. You might also like these other ideas.
- To fool yourself into eating less, use a salad plate rather than a dinner plate.
- So that you don’t get tempted to eat more, keep the bowls on the table.
- Do not linger at the dinner table. Eat when you are full.
- This will help you to determine how many calories you should eat in a given day. If you are supposed to consume 2,000 calories daily but eat 3,000 daily, it may be time to reduce your regular portions by one-third. How do you determine your daily calorie requirements? This bodyweight planner will help you achieve a healthy balance between activity and food.
- Last thought: Just one step per week
- These steps can be done in stages. Instead, try one step each week. Note down the foods you eat and any questions or comments you may have. You can then evaluate what worked and what didn’t. You’ll soon feel confident enough to take on new challenges.
