Fitness is about more than just exercise. After all, for several months I was exercising on a fairly regular basis; however I wasn’t seeing any real results. This was because I hadn’t made any changes to my diet. Once I began working on that, I started to get somewhere.
There can be a lot of confusion about the proper diet to eat. One week you hear something is great for you and then the next you are told it’s harmful. Low-fat, no-fat, carbohydrates, proteins…it can all become overwhelming.
Eating healthy can also become monotonous if you are selecting the same foods over and over again. Here are some ideas to take into consideration when you are selecting what to eat.
First, think variety. They say that variety is the spice of life. Well there is no better way to spruce up your diet than to implement some variety into it. I don’t know if you are like me but I tend to go for the typical fruits, apples and bananas. I see a variety of other fruits that I pass by at the supermarket. But why not pick up something perhaps you have never tried? You just might find a new favorite.
Second, are you stuck in a rut? One way that eating healthy can become a struggle is if you are eating the same foods day in and day out. Eat a different vegetable and fruit each day. Also, think color. There is a lot of nutrient content in the colorful fruits and vegetables such as cherries, peppers and all of the berry fruits.
Third, think smaller. One idea that I began implementing this year was at dinnertime I don’t use the same size plate that the rest of my family does. They use the big dinner plates but I have opted for the smaller size plate. This way I don’t overload it.
Fourth, don’t forget your water. I can’t tell you the number of times I thought I was hungry and I gulped down a glass of water and suddenly I was satisfied. Sometimes when you think your stomach is telling you it’s hungry, you really need to hydrate.
Lastly, learn to recognize the cues in your body that tell you it is “pleasantly full.” You don’t want to get stuffed and you don’t want to under-eat because then half an hour later you will be digging in the fridge for something to eat and it’s likely to be something unhealthy. So recognize when you should stop.
I hope these tips help. Of course, I always welcome any tips that you can offer.
Image by: shutterstock.com
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