Developing healthy eating habits is the easy part, it's maintaining them that can seem daunting or even impossible. My advice to you is to start small - one step at a time. Pick one thing from this list each week & then gradually add another...
And another....
This way you won't get overwhelmed by making too many changes at once - it's often when we do this that we give up altogether.
5 WAYS TO ESTABLISH & MAINTAIN HEALTHY EATING HABITS:
1) EAT MORE FRUITS & VEGGIES: And try to buy organic when possible. Seems obvious right? The USDA recommends eating 3 full servings of fruit & 5 full servings of vegetables a day.
What counts as a cup of vegetables?
In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy salad greens can be considered as 1 cup from the vegetable group.
What counts as a cup of fruit?
In general, 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the Fruit Group. The table below shows specific amounts that count as 1 cup of fruit towards your daily recommended intake (source).
2) HYDRATE: Another one that might seem obvious, but you'd be surprised, so many of us don't get enough fluids- and by fluids, I mean WATER. Sugary sodas & juices DO NOT COUNT towards hydration.
How much water should you drink every day? The best way to calculate it is by taking your body weight and dividing by 2. Example: a 150lb woman should drink about 75 ounces of water a day.
3) CHOOSE GOOD FATS OVER BAD FATS (and know the difference):
The good: Unsaturated fats like those found in olive oil, avocado, and nuts help maintain fullness and help certain organs such as your heart, skin, and eyes.
The in-between: Eat saturated fats sparingly. These fats are found in butter, red meat, and cheese. They can clog arteries, leading to major health problems like stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure.
The bad: Avoid trans fats. They’re found in heavily processed foods and can clog arteries, as well as lead to certain cancers.
4) CUT BACK ON PROCESSED FOODS & EAT WHOLE FOODS: sodium tends to be found in a lot of processed foods - too much of it can raise your blood pressure, putting you at risk for heart problems. Not to mention there is plenty of other stuff found in them that is bad for your body.
5) MODERATION: I'm a big believer in giving my body what it wants/needs. With that being said, I try not to overindulge - if your body is craving a piece of chocolate cake, eat a piece of chocolate cake, just don't eat the entire cake.
If all of these suggestions seem overwhelming, don't worry, it will get easier over time! Again, start small then move forward from there.
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