health
Are you one of those who confuse healthy eating with strict dieting? Read on to find out...
These days, every other person is either trying to lose weight or is switching to a healthy diet in order to stay fit and feel energised. Yes the trend is fast catching on. However, in a bid to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve the perfect weight many people confuse healthy eating with strict dieting. Going on crash diets might help you lose a few pounds but in the long run you will be limiting your nutritional intake, which will make you feel weak and lethargic; and after a few days you might go back to your old unhealthy eating ways. Developing healthy eating habits will not only help you reach your goals, but you will feel full with plenty of energy to do everything you want to do. So, this week You! takes a look on how you can develop a few healthy eating habits...
Say no to processed foods:
These days, many people resort to processed and packaged foods that are convenient and involve minimum preparation time - but the fact is that they are not healthy. Such foods contain high amounts of preservatives, man-made colourings and other added chemicals. Processed foods tend to be higher in fat, salt and sugar and lack nutrients and fibre.
So, chuck out packaged foods from your life and start preparing meals using fresh vegetables, lean meat, lentils, eggs etc. Don’t forget to include milk, fresh fruits, nuts and legumes.
Switch to healthy whole grains:
Whole grains offer far more nutrients and fibre than their refined ‘white’ varieties. A research shows that overweight people who ate wholegrain wheat products lost more weight than those who ate refined wheat, and they also came out with lower cholesterol levels. Whole grains tend to have a lower GI (glycaemic index), so after consuming you feel full for a longer time and maintain your energy levels and concentration.
Change your cooking methods:
The more you ‘do’ to your food, the less it does for you. Confused? Well, it is simple. All you have to do is avoid things like deep-frying and over cooking. Frying in loads of oil will drench your food with unnecessary calories, and cooking for a longer period of time - for example boiling vegetables until they are drained of colour- will sap them of nutrients.
Try to grill or barbecue meat, fish and vegetables. You can also slightly steam vegetables or you can stir-fry meat and vegetables, using just a little olive oil or a light spray of cooking oil.
Portion sizes matter:
In today’s super-sized world, it can be hard to know what a healthy portion looks like. Many of us tend to consume more than we need on a daily basis. For an ideal lunch, lean protein should take up a quarter of your plate, another quarter should have low-GI or wholegrain carbs, and the remaining half should have salad or vegetables. Have a light dinner as all you do after dinner is watch TV or go to bed, so you don’t actually need a lot of energy.
Healthy eating at social events:
For most of us, it’s impossible to avoid work gatherings, birthday bashes, formal dinners etc, where lots of food and desserts are available. This results in over-indulgence. Set up some healthy eating habits for these situations to stay on track. What you can do is eat a healthy, filling snack to take the edge off your hunger before you go to the party. Look for the most healthy option: for e.g. a grilled piece of fish or lean meat. Also, don’t forget to load up on salad and vegetables.
Treat yourself:
We often think of certain foods as ‘bad’ and cut them out altogether and we end up craving them all the more, hence we start binge eating. So, what you can do is set aside one meal a week to indulge in as a treat. You can eat anything you may have otherwise kept out of your healthy eating plan. However, don’t forget your portion size and most importantly don’t feel guilty about it.
Nature’s drink:
When we talk about healthy eating, the one thing we need to cut out completely is soft drinks or sugar-packed juices. Instead sip on water all day long as it helps in digestion, absorption and transportation of nutrients. Water also eliminates waste from your body and regulates body temperature. So, make sure you drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water daily!