To Keto or not to Keto?…
10 Must-dos for a Healthy & Sustainable Diet
As the new year approaches, it is time for hope, health, and prosperity. It is also time to start PRIORITIZING your fitness goals and overall wellbeing. Do not spin your wheels and waste money and time on lifestyle changes or products that do not deliver genuine and sustainable results. It will only leave you frustrated and demotivated with poor metabolism and a shakier mindset.
Whether you are struggling hard to lose stubborn belly fat, cut down your weight by a few kilos, build muscles, or set off on a wellness journey – it all begins and ends with a healthy diet. Nutrition is one of the important tenets of good health. Therefore, your health goal must align with a nutritious and sustainable diet. It helps improve your physical & mental health and ensures emotional wellbeing.
Discussed here are 10 essentials to follow for any diet.
- Ensure Your Diet is Rich in Essential Nutrients
Diet isn’t about eating…it is about eating RIGHT.
Therefore, it is advisable to eat a well-balanced diet that ensures optimal nutrient intake. A balanced and nutritious diet not only helps build immunity but can also keep diseases at bay. Planning a wholesome diet begins with including seven essential components – Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Fiber, Vitamins, Minerals, and Water.
Protein is the human body’s building block and aids in weight loss. Pulses, lentils, beans, milk, egg, chicken, fish, soy, etc., are high protein sources.
Carbohydrates help fuel your body and keep you feeling energized for long. Make sure you include only healthy carbs from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes in your diet. Avoid processed carbs that can lead to diabetes or obesity.
Fats, particularly fatty acids, are important for your body. Include moderate amounts of saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats in your diet. Cut down on unhealthy trans-fat and cholesterol found in animal-based foods.
Fiber helps improve metabolism, controls hunger pangs, and also provides other nutrients to the body. Generally, leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables are a powerhouse of fiber.
Vitamins keep your body on the right track, offering a range of health benefits. Focus more on vitamins A, B, C, D, and E – available in foods like pumpkin, leafy greens, eggs, carrot, guava, whole grains, dairy, banana, mushrooms, aloe vera, capsicum, lemon, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc.
Minerals help improve your heart health, providing your body with essential components like iron, zinc, copper, and selenium.
Water keeps your body well-hydrated and helps eliminate harmful toxins from the body.
So, whether you want to shed or gain weight, build muscles or simply stay fit, know how to eat healthy.
- Count Your Calories
While eating a nutritious and balanced diet is important, knowing how many calories you should get each day is equally important. Your per day calorie count will depend on your age, sex, fitness goals, and how energetic or active you are. Ask a nutritionist to know how many calories you should have every day. Do not cut your calories too much, or you may miss out on essential nutrients your body needs. Do not eat too many calories or lose track of your health goal and get health conditions like diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, etc.
- Guard your emotional well being
Now, it is essential to regulate your daily calorie intake, but it is also equally important that you gain control over your emotional state of mind. Building a positive and conscious affirmation about your self-worth and having an optimistic outlook towards life can work wonders for your mental and physical health.
- Do Not Fall for Crash Diet
Individuals who want fast weight loss results often fall for a crash diet or extreme fasting regime. Typically, crash diets restrict your calorie intake extremely, but the results are not long-lasting. Most people who lose weight during a crash diet tend to regain over time. The same applies to fasting. Typically, a person eats more calories after fasting, so the results are ineffective.
Crash dieting may help you lose weight fast but is not always healthy.
- Eat Light, Less Often
This is the key mantra for eating healthy – eat less but more often. Divide your daily diet into two or three light meals rather than eating two to three heavy meals. When you eat two to three heavy meals every day, you end up getting higher levels of bad cholesterol or LDL. Eating lighter meals throughout the day helps divide the total calorie count, ensuring you eat healthy and right.
- Keep Healthy Snacks Handy
It is when hunger pangs strike and the temptation of tasty treats seem irresistible that your idea of healthy eating goes upside down. To satiate your cravings, keep tummy-filling yet nutritious snacks handy. Snacks that are high in fiber and protein can keep you feeling full. These include yogurt, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain crackers, hard-boiled eggs, roasted chickpeas, mixed nuts, etc.
- Cut Down on Processed and Junk Foods
Fitness enthusiasts may not know this- processed foods contain additives and preservatives that can be harmful to your body. Additionally, junk foods are often too oily or contain fat, disrupting our health plan. But that does not mean you will sacrifice all your favorite foods. Savor your desired delicacies but in fewer portions and less often.
- Choose Home-cooked food
Create a diet chart and cook most of your meals at home. This will help you cut down on processed and unhealthy foods from outside.
- Time for Plenty of Veggies & Fruits
Make sure to fill half of the plate with fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens and bright colored ones. Try healthy smoothies, salads, sandwiches, etc., for a healthy twist to your diet.
- Do your research
Don’t just believe in any marketing fluff that portrays an unknown diet as the key to super health. When it is about your diet, you can’t follow any advice. Do your due diligence before adopting a new diet and eating lifestyle. Remember, it is your body, and only you can decide what is best for you.
- Drink Water
Drink the optimum amount of Water to stay hydrated and healthy throughout the day. Avoid sugary drinks; instead, you can have unsweetened, low-fat milk.
- Complement Your Diet with Good Sleep & Exercise
Whatever your health goal is, strike a balance between a nutritious diet, physical exercise, and plenty of sleep at night.
Reclaim your confidence, strength, and self-care…NOW!