1. eat a variety of foods
For good health, we need more than 40 different nutrients, and no food can provide them all. It's not just a meal, it's a balanced choice of foods over time that will make a difference!
- A high fat lunch could be followed by a low fat dinner.
- After a large portion of meat at dinner, maybe fish should be the next day's choice?
2. Base your diet on a large amount of carbohydrate-rich foods.
Approximately half of the calories in our diet should come from carbohydrate-rich foods, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes and bread. It is a good idea to include at least one in each meal. Whole foods, such as bread, pasta and whole grains, will increase our fiber intake.
3. Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats
Fats are important for the health and functioning of the body. However, too much can affect our weight and our cardiovascular health. Different types of fats have different health effects, and some of these tips may help us maintain balance.
- We should limit the consumption of total and saturated fats (often derived from animal foods) and avoid trans fats altogether; Reading labels helps identify sources.
- Eating fish 2 to 3 times a week, with at least one serving of fatty fish, will contribute to our fair intake of unsaturated fatty acids.
- When cooking, boiling, steaming or baking, instead of frying, remove the fatty part of the meat, use vegetable oils.
4. Enjoy many fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods to give us enough vitamins, minerals and fiber. We should try to eat at least 5 servings a day. For example, a glass of fresh fruit juice for breakfast, maybe an apple and a piece of watermelon as a snack, and a good portion of different vegetables at each meal.
5. Reduce salt and sugar consumption
High salt intake can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are different ways to reduce salt in the diet:
- When buying, we could choose products with lower sodium content.
- During cooking, salt can be replaced by spices, thus increasing the variety of flavors and flavors.
- When eating, it is useful not to have salt on the table or at least not add salt before trying.
- Sugar is sweet and attractive, but sugary foods and drinks are rich in energy and can be enjoyed in moderation as an occasional pleasure. We could use fruit instead, even to soften our food and drinks.
6. Eat regularly, check portion sizes
Eating a variety of foods regularly and in the correct amounts is the best formula for a healthy diet.
Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to uncontrollable hunger, which often results in impotent overfeeding. Snacks between meals can help control hunger, but snacks should not replace the right foods. For snacks, we could choose yogurt, a handful of fresh or dried fruits or vegetables (such as carrot sticks), unsalted nuts or maybe cheese bread.
- Paying attention to portion sizes will help us not consume too many calories and allow us to eat all the food we enjoy, without having to eliminate any of them.
- Cooking in the right amount helps avoid overeating.
- Some reasonable portions are: 100 grams of meat; an average fruit; half a cup of raw pasta The use of smaller plates helps reduce portions.
- Packaged foods, with caloric values in the package, could facilitate portion control.
- If you ate at a restaurant, we could share some with a friend.
7. Drink lots of fluids
Adults should drink at least 1.5 liters of liquid a day! Or more if it is very hot or if they are physically active. Water is the best source, of course, and we can use tap water or mineral water, with or without gas, simple or flavored. Juices, tea, soda, milk and other drinks may be fine, from time to time.
8. Maintain a healthy weight
The right weight for each of us depends on factors such as our gender, our size, our age and our genes. Obesity and overweight increase the risks associated with many diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Excess body fat comes from eating more than necessary. Additional calories can come from any caloric nutrient: proteins, fats, carbohydrates or alcohol, but lipids are the most concentrated energy source. Physical activity helps us spend energy and makes us feel good. The message is quite simple: if we gain weight, we have to eat less and be more active!
9. Get moving, make it a habit!
Physical activity is important for all kinds of weight and health problems. It helps us burn extra calories, it is good for the heart and the circulatory system, it maintains or increases our muscle mass, it helps us to concentrate and improves overall well-being. We don't need to be the best athletes to act! 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week are recommended and can easily be part of our daily life. We could all:
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator,
- go for a walk during lunch (and stretch in our offices in the middle)
- take time from a family activity
10. Start now! And keep changing gradually.
Gradual changes in our lifestyle are easier to maintain than the important changes introduced at the same time. For three days, we could write the food and drinks we consume during the day and write down the amount of movements we perform. It is not difficult to detect possible improvements:
- Skip breakfast? A small bowl of muesli, a piece of bread or a fruit could help slowly introduce it into our routine.
- Very few fruits and vegetables? To start, we can introduce an extra room per day.
- Favorite foods high in fat? Eliminating them suddenly could retaliate and return us to old habits. Instead, we can choose low-fat options, eat them less frequently and in smaller portions.
- Too little activity? Using stairs every day could be a good first step.
