If you are struggling with trying to stay on track with your eating, here is a very simple tip.
Moderation!
The key to any healthy diet is moderation! This simply means only eating as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed. Moderation is also about balance. Despite what many fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of protein, fat, fiber, calcium, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to sustain a healthy body. For many of us moderation simple means eating less than we do now. But it doesn't mean eliminating all the foods you love, as long as the majority of the time you are eating a healthy balanced diet (again it's about moderation!), you will be able to reach and maintain your healthy body weight goals.
Balance!
Protein gives you the energy to get up and go - and keep going - while also supporting mood and cognitive function. Too much protein can be harmful, but this post is all about balance, no need to overdue any one thing. High quality protein is helpful especially as we age, but there has been way to much emphasis on protein for a long time in the fitness world but that is slowly starting to change as we realize the importance of balancing all nutrients and not focusing so much on a certain few. Also getting high quality protein doesn’t mean you have to eat more animal products-a variety of plant-based sources of protein each day can ensure your body gets all the essential protein it needs.
Fat. Not all fat is the same. While bad fats can wreck your diet and increase your risk of certain diseases, good fats protect your brain and heart. In fact, healthy fats - such as omega-3s - are vital to your physical and emotional health. Including more healthy fat in your diet can help improve your mood, boost your well-being, and even trim your waistline.
Fiber. Eating foods high in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and beans) can help you stay regular and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also improve your skin and even help you to lose weight.
Calcium. As well as leading to osteoporosis, not getting enough calcium in your diet can also contribute to anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties. Whatever your age or gender, it’s vital to include calcium-rich foods in your diet, limit those that deplete calcium, and get enough magnesium and vitamins D and K to help calcium do its job.
Carbohydrates are one of your body’s main sources of energy. But most should come from complex, unrefined carbs (vegetables, whole grains, fruit) rather than sugars and refined carbs. Cutting way back (Ideally Out) on white bread, pastries, starches, and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar, fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat, especially around your waistline.
Here are a few tips you can use to add balance/moderation to your diet.
1- Eat slowly, it actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food.
2- Drink plenty of water! Most adults in the U.S. only drink a fraction of the water that their body needs on a daily basis, which can be the cause of numerous issues (we'll go into this in much more detail in another post), but for the purpose of today's subject water will simple help to fill you up throughout the day (added bonus, you will drink more water!) which is really good for you.
3- When you have a snack during the day stick to whole foods (Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts/Seeds) and stay away from anything processed. Again, like water these are extremely good for you and very nutrient dense which will help to fill you up throughout the day and keep you away from all the empty caloric foods that keep you coming back for more.
4- Prepare Your Own Meals. This helps you cut out many of the unhealthy ingredients in your meals and replace them with healthy whole food options. Again lots of vegetables will help fill you up (make that the bulk of your plate! Also try to make it fun and include the kids, this will also help them to see what goes into healthy balanced meals and help the entire family stay healthy.
5- Here's another very simple (probably not easy at first but stick with it) because it's very effective tip. Make dinner the last thing you eat for the day, no snacking at night! It will make a big difference in the long run.
So try these five tips and see how you feel, I guarantee they will work if you stick with them. Hopefully this will help you to get on track with your healthy eating!!
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