Adopt these healthy habits today!
Building healthy eating habits starts with making good choices each and every day. If you’re looking to make a change in your lifestyle, the following tips are the keys to a healthy diet that will help you live your healthiest life!
10 Keys to a Healthy Diet
1. Eat Whole Foods
The more “real” food you eat, the healthier you will be. Skip processed foods that come in bags and boxes and pick up items from this Whole Foods Shopping List instead.
2. Try to Maintain a Balanced Diet
Fad diets are all about skipping carbs or reducing fat intake. The keys to a healthy diet are in balance: eating a little bit of everything. Try to make your plate 50 percent fruits and vegetables, 30 percent whole grains, and 20 percent lean protein.
3. Eat the Rainbow
Try your best to get every color onto your plate. The more colors you have, the more vitamins and minerals you will consume. So load up on purple beets or cabbage, orange carrots, colorful bell peppers, and plenty of greens.
4. Don’t Skip Meals
A lot of people practice intermittent fasting, and maybe that’s working for you right now. But, in general, we advise against skipping meals – especially breakfast. Get your metabolism cranking for the day and set yourself up to resist making unhealthy choices due to hunger.
5. Eat Frequently
We’re not suggesting that you overeat, but one of the keys to a healthy diet is keeping your blood sugar balanced to reduce cravings. Give yourself access to healthy snacks and try to eat every four hours.
6. Practice Portion Control
If you’re overeating, you’re going to gain weight – even if you’re only eating healthy foods! Weight gain (and loss) is all about calories in, calories out. So, practice portion control and make sure you’re not eating more than you need at any given meal.
7. Eat Mindfully
It’s easy to overeat if you’re watching TV, playing on your phone, or trying to multi-task and work while eating. If you can, prepare a calm and relaxed environment to eat, and focus on consuming your meal. It will help you listen to your body when it’s full, and de-stressing helps you digest better, too.
8. Stay Hydrated
Don’t think water is one of the keys to a healthy diet? Consider this: drinking water before a meal can not only help you feel fuller, but it also helps your body process essential vitamins and minerals. Take the 30-day 8×8 Water Challenge if you’re having trouble drinking enough water
9. Focus on Fiber
Add these high-fiber foods to your diet as soon as possible! Fiber fills you up and it also slows down your body’s absorption of carbohydrates. That means you won’t get a blood sugar spike after eating a meal.
10. Limit Liquid Calories
We all love a good sugary coffee drink, soda pop, juice, or happy-hour cocktail from time to time. But, these calories are empty and they’re not helping you stay healthy. Keep the liquid calories to a minimum and consume them as an occasional treat.
