Healthy eating habits – what should you change in your daily diet?

You should introduce healthy eating habits into your life not only when you are an athlete, running, cycling, or swimming. Healthy and proper nutrition not only makes you feel better, but also your body is stronger, and you stay at the same weight without much effort. Wonderful isn’t it? There are a lot more advantages! 

According to the latest statistics, almost 40% of American adults struggle with obesity, and 76% are overweight. According to researchers, these numbers will further increase in the years to come. That’s why you need to incorporate movement into your daily routine, as well as introduce your body to healthy eating habits. 

In this article, I will provide you with healthy eating tips so you can put them into practice and start taking care of your health.

1. Eat balanced meals 

I bet you don’t look at what you eat. You just throw anything in the pot or pan and that’s it. If you want to change your diet to one that is healthy, then you need to focus more on choosing the right foods for your menu. 

I know what you’re probably thinking: “Healthy food = boring.” Not true! You just need to try to make sure that each meal contains complex carbohydrates, protein, and some fat and fiber. With such compositions, your dish will be filling and you won’t be looking for a snack after the meal to “kill” your hunger.

2. Plant protein in the diet – a must-be!

Plant proteins are very healthy and you should add them to your diet. Many of us focus only on animal protein and forget about this plant protein. This should not be the case, because along with eating this type of protein you provide your body with minerals, vitamins, and fiber. 

What is the best choice if you want to provide healthy protein? Lentils, soybeans, beans, chickpeas, and broad beans. It’s also a good idea to occasionally choose tofu, which people who are vegans often use as an alternative to meat.

3. Healthy eating tips – Read labels 

Think about how many product labels you check before putting them in your shopping cart. I bet very little or nothing. It’s good to know what you are eating. That’s why it’s a good idea to take a moment and read what the product is made of before putting it in your cart. This will help you control the intake of high-calorie and unhealthy products from your diet and find healthier substitutes. 

Moreover, you are sure to see very often on colorful and eye-catching labels the words BIO,, light, fat-free, sugar-free, and fit. Do not trust these inscriptions and do not take a product blindly. Many manufacturers manipulate the customer in this way, and the composition is not healthy at all. Check the label to be sure!

4. Don’t forget fruits and vegetables 

You should add a solid serving of vegetables to every dinner, which is rich in many minerals and needed vitamins. 

If you feel like snacking, put aside the candy bars and chocolate, and reach for a serving of healthy fruits – banana, strawberries, apples, oranges. The advantage is to eat 3 servings of fruit a day.

Fruit juices vs fruit 

I recommend you choose plain, unprocessed fruit. There are a lot of fruit juices in the stores that have a lot of sugar in them and are made from concentrates rather than real fruit. 

If you want to substitute fruit for juice, it’s best to squeeze fresh or blend several fruits and make a delicious smoothie. Look at the composition and labels of the juices you buy in the store (yes, again) and see if it is as healthy as they suggest on the label.

5. Stay hydrated! 

There is so much talk about drinking water, and still, many people do not drink enough. The average woman needs 2 liters of fluids a day, and a man needs 2.5 liters. This is a number for people who do not train or do any intense workouts. An active person should drink even more! 

“I know that I need to drink water, but I forget about it.”

In this case, install an app on your phone that will remind you to drink water. I guess that you have your phone with you almost all the time, so when you get the notification it will be a reminder for you! 

“I don’t like the taste of plain water.” 

In that case, add lemon juice, mint leaves, or lime slices to it. This will change the taste and make it not so bland. Experiment, maybe you will find another combination that will be a hit for you.

6. Give up frying 

Instead of frying, you can choose other options for preparing food – braising, grilling, steaming, or baking without fat. These are much healthier methods that will ensure that the food you are preparing retains its properties and vitamins, and does not have more calories. 

If you want to fry your dish, then on what?

Let’s start with the fact that frying is not one of the healthy methods of preparing a dish. However, if you want to choose it, it is best to use olive oil or ghee butter for this.

7. Cook more at home 

Do you often go out to eat? Why not give that up and start preparing more meals yourself? 

This will be very good not only for your health but also for your household budget. 

“Coming from work I don’t have the strength to cook dinner.”

You can prepare it in the evening the day before and make more to have a meal for 2 days. This will give you more control over what you eat. What’s more, you are assured that the ingredients used are fresh and healthy and there are no artificial additives. 

Are you eating out? Ask the waiter 

Even if you go to a restaurant, you can continue to take care of your healthy eating habits. Going out with family or friends and having a meal out does not mean taking a break from a proper diet. 

When ordering a dish from the menu, ask the waiter about the type of meat, the method of preparation, and the degree of frying. The waiter is sure to give you the answer, and if not, definitely he will ask the chef and come back with the information.

8. Choose snacks between meals wisely

We have even more tips for healthy eating! Sometimes between meals, you feel the urge for a small snack. I guess that it is probably the thought of something sweet and probably caloric. Some people reach for fast food just to quiet the burping in their stomachs. 

Instead of caloric and unhealthy snacks, bet on those that will be good for your health. You can find them in the store without much trouble. What can you choose?

• protein bar, 
• a fruit bar with no sugar added, 
• natural yogurt with fruit pieces, 
• whole wheat roll and kefir. 

These are just a few examples. Many more options may appeal to you. When you go shopping at the store, the wide range of sweets is sure to tempt you but keep healthy eating habits in mind. If you care about your health and fitness then turn your eyes away from sweets and choose a healthy snack.

9. Slow down 

Today everyone is in a hurry somewhere. Sometimes there is not even time to eat a meal in peace. However, eating very quickly is not conducive to digestion or portion size control.

The signal of satiety reaches the body only after about 20 minutes. That’s why you should wait a while before putting on an extra portion. If you eat quickly then try to change this eating habit to maintain good digestion of the body and maintain a healthy weight.

10. Choose products that are less processed 

Processed foods now are everywhere and it’s really hard to avoid them. However, if you want to take care of your health, it is best that you choose products in the most natural form.

What should you pay attention to?

• choose products with the shortest composition – this is mainly about grain products and dairy products, 
• your diet should be dominated by fresh meat, not cured meats, 
• choose fresh fruits and vegetables, as they have more vitamins. Some people reach for juices or frozen food instead of fresh products, 
• prepare snacks yourself at home – this way you can be sure that the ingredients are healthy and wholesome.

11. Tips for healthy eating – make a list before you go shopping

There are several advantages of why you should make a shopping list before going to the store:

• you will spend less time in the store because you know what you want to buy
• you will be able to decide what you are going to prepare for dinner and buy the right products in advance, 
• you will look for the products on the list and you won’t be circling the store and buying products that are bad for your health.

Also, remember not to go shopping when you are hungry. Looking at different products, our body immediately wants them and thus you leave the store with several unnecessary and often unhealthy products, for example, french fries, frozen pizza, or potato chips. You never know what you will see in the shop. 

12. Healthier ways to deal with stress

If you want to deal with stress, don’t reach for a sugary snack. To introduce healthy eating habits into your life, you should find other ways to deal with stress. It can be – a walk in the park, listening to your favorite music, deep breathing, or physical activity. There are many options!