8 Tips to Make Eating Healthy Easy
Photo: Alex Haney/Unsplash
It’s hard to believe there was ever a time when diet books didn’t exist, when home cooked meals were the norm, not the exception, and when people intuitively ate what was good for them. With the plethora of information available today about food, diet, and nutrition, we should all be healthier than ever, but instead we’re just more confused about what to eat or not to eat!
I’ve been a foodie all my life. It started as a passion for cooking (and eating) and later became a continuing quest for information on nutrition and health. During my certification as an Integrative Health Coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I heard equally convincing arguments and studies to back up every kind of diet or eating principle. Hence, one week, I was a devout vegan and the next a devouring carnivore! Ultimately, I realized that although there were as many conflicting opinions as there were diets, there were also commonalities across all the diets. These turned out to be the most basic, simple, common sense eating principles that were practiced by generations past but have since been overshadowed by the current food industry’s quest for big profits.
Below are eight strategies for healthy eating and weight loss that can be modified based on your belief system, your personal preferences, and your individual body. Try a couple and watch the magic happen!
1. What to Eat More Of
Mainly whole foods grown in the earth, not in the lab. That means colorful fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen), whole grains and legumes (beans), and nuts and seeds. Veggies should take up at least half your plate. Meat and poultry should be lean and organic. Fish should be wild, not farmed. Fats should be healthy (avocado, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil).
2. What to Drink
Lots of filtered (not necessarily bottled) water, green tea, one glass of wine with a meal, one cup of coffee/day, sparking water if you need some fizz. Water makes up more than half your body weight and 90% of your blood. Every single function in your body needs water to operate properly.
3. What to Eat Less Of
Sugar in any form and refined (white) wheat flour. These are both inflammatory agents, which contribute to disease and weight gain. Substitute white sugar with raw honey, maple syrup, or stevia.
4. What to Never Eat
HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), trans fats (hydrogenated anything), soda and other sweetened drinks, anything with ingredients that sound like chemicals. That means hydrogen atoms have been added to fats giving them a longer shelf life. It has been well documented that trans fats increase the risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.
5. What to Learn
How to read a nutrition label. How to recognize all forms of sugar, chemicals, and processed foods on an ingredient list. How to cook basic healthy meals. How to eat slower. How to stop eating three hours before bedtime. How to eat smaller portions. Which foods are superfoods. Which foods are anti-inflammatory. Which foods are nutrient rich. All of this can be found with a quick Internet search.
6. What to Buy
Fresh foods in the perimeter aisles of the grocery store rather than in the middle aisles where processed foods are typically displayed; organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible (check the dirty dozen list from the Environmental Working Group); organic meats, poultry, and dairy. Buy locally grown foods whenever possible. If buying food or cooking is a daunting task, try a healthy meal kit service. Look for those that offer organic and locally sourced.
7. What to Compromise
Practice healthy eating 80–90% of the time, but leave some wiggle room to indulge or break the rules. You’re only human, and life’s too short to feel deprived in any way. Once you start eating healthier, this will be an easy formula to follow.
8. What to Know
Your body. Only you know how your body reacts to certain foods. If a certain food or diet (no matter how acclaimed it may be) makes you feel ill, bloated or gain weight, stop it. Eating is not a “one size fits all” model.
By Debbie Gisonni
P.S. If you want health and abundance in all areas of your life (body, relationships, career), check out my BE HEALTHY NOW! course!