We all know something about the value of healthy living. But sometimes we tend to get it wrong, say, when we interpret healthy eating habits to be synonymous to self-denial of the foods we love.
A strict diet often tends to give undesirable results. Ideally, healthy eating should make you feel great, have more energy, stabilize your mood and improve your outlook.
There is so much dietary information available today. Some of these may sometimes appear to contradict one another. Do not be surprised to find such material overwhelming or even confusing!
We have put together some very basic tips that should help you make informed nutrition decisions and minimize some confusion.
Take Small, Frequent Meals
You are probably aware of the dangers of stress. If you go for longer than 3 hours without eating something, the levels of the stress hormone cortisol rises. Such a high level of cortisol stimulates the production of more glucose and discourages its storage. If that condition becomes persistent, the elevated cortisol levels over a long period of time causes increased blood sugars.
This will eventually lead to storage of fat in the abdominal region. With such fat, one is highly likely to become overweight or obese.
So, if you skip meals, you are likely to experience an increase in the levels of cortisol. Unfortunately, the common notion is that obesity is only fueled by food abundance. No! It may be fueled as much by repeated starvation.
You are much safer if you take small meals more often to reduce cortisol levels. Studies suggest that it is healthier to take six small meals a day other than three large meals that contain the same total calorie count. People who observe this small meal pattern lose their belly fat and get in better shape in good time.
In addition, if you eat throughout the day as such, you reduce chances of feeling extremely hungry. In other words, you are in a more stable condition to resist the impulse to take large amounts of food at once.
Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking a lot of water is a rule of nutrition generally accepted across the world of dietetics. It is recommended that you drink enough water because water keeps the body functioning in homeostasis and is beneficial in several other aspects.
People who drink plenty of water have healthier and more vibrant skin. Their cells are rigid and in good physical shape.
Water helps energize muscles and the kidneys. The kidneys have to carry out their excretion of waste substances from the body and water is the medium through which these wastes, which are essentially toxic, are transported. In essence, water supports all the essential processes in the body.
Take Whole Foods As A Habit
Whole grains and other unprocessed foods that include fruits and veggies such as oatmeal, salads, broccoli and brown rice are a healthy alternative to canned or processed foods. These contain little chemicals and more natural sugars which are healthy for the body.
These foods are referred to as low density meals. They consume a lot of room in the stomach since they contain large amounts of fiber. As such, they satisfy hunger with just a few calories.
Plan Ahead
Planning ahead helps in nearly every circumstance. The same goes for your nutrition. If you plan what to take at a particular time, you can be better placed to observe a balanced diet. If you had to always jump into taking a meal only when you feel hungry, chances are that you will be going for specific meals that are your favorite, and you run the risk of accumulating the same nutrients in the body.
Planning can ensure you always have a meal to take throughout the day. You can set it at the beginning of the day or the week. As long as you have a plan, you can avoid scrambling for food when you are hungry. It helps you resist the temptation to take fast-foods.
Have more ideas to add? You’ll notice that fitness is the result of both nutritional and physical manners. Even though these may just be a few tips, if well observed, they are enough to provide a perfect lifestyle and guide one down the fitness path.