If you want to be healthy, you must eat healthy food and that includes what you drink. While there are so many factors that can determine whether you’ll be healthy or not, exercising and eating/drinking healthy are two of the most important. That’s especially important since these are factors that you can control. Today, obesity has reached the level that it’s number one on the list of factors in preventable diseases. Changing your eating habits doesn’t have to be hard. It all starts with one small change.
Changing what you drink is as important as changing what you eat.
If you drink carbonated drinks, coffee with cream and sugar, fruit juice or even alcoholic beverages with any regularity, you’re adding both extra calories and often health risks. Not only are some soft drinks nothing more than sugar, carbonated water and flavoring, they all contain a high amount of sodium—-even diet drinks. Although diet drinks don’t contain sugar, they do contain artificial sweeteners that can be just as bad for your health. Considering one can of cola is about 140 calories, if you drank two cans of cola a day, by switching to water you could lose a pound in less than two weeks without any other changes to your diet. That’s pretty amazing and one quick and healthier because you’re also cutting down on sugar, too.
Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.
Adding more green will keep you lean. While you should add more fruit and vegetables, there are also two extra rules to follow. Add more vegetables than fruit. You should have between two and two and a half cups of vegetables and just one and a half to two cups of fruit per day. Don’t forget, you need a good source of protein and healthy fat, too. Both fill you up and keep you feeling fuller longer.
Set yourself up for successful healthy eating.
Okay, if you’re ravenous about nine o’clock at night, it’s not really a good time to eat, but if you must, make sure you have healthy snacks available. Throw out or simply don’t buy unhealthy options. Have healthy ones ready instead. Cut up fresh fruit and vegetables and have them ready for snacks. Have some yogurt based vegetable dip to add some protein. If you have a cantaloupe cut up in bite size squares, people tend to eat it. Have nuts ready to eat in individual portion bags. A sliced apple with a teaspoon of nut butter is a healthy option, too.
- Cutting out added sugar can be difficult, but well worth it for good health. While you’re doing it, keeping a supply of fresh grapes, cherries or other sweet fruit can help.
- Make sure your meals and snacks have a source of protein. While carbs from vegetables give you an energy boost immediately, the protein will keep you full longer.
- Remember, you don’t have to give up your favorite food forever, even if it isn’t the healthiest. Just eat it far less frequently and remember portion control.
- Learn to make substitutions to lower calories and improve nutrition. Something as simple as using Greek yogurt on your baked potato can be easy, yet effective.