Proper nutrition is the keystone of a healthy and productive life. When you take in the nutrients your body needs, you provide the raw material for all the processes your body performs on a daily – and nightly – basis. Your nutritional choices have a profound influence on the level of well-being you can achieve.
When it comes to nutrition, we all seem to have trouble doing it properly. Our problem areas vary though and sometimes, we need help identifying these problems. Look at your eating habits and decide which one you pick. Is it the salad or the cheeseburger? The soda or bottled water? The healthy choices are obvious and if you don’t pick them as often as you should, that may be your problem.
Sneaking healthy foods into your regular foods is the stealth approach to eating better. This approach works well with finicky eaters and children. Of course, you can sneakily fold some yucky health into what you eat as well. Examples of this stealth approach would be fortifying baked goods and blender drinks with dry milk powder, and sneaking 1/2 cup or so of white beans into your next quick bread, cookie, or cake recipe. This will cause everybody in your family to eat healthier without them even knowing it.
A great tip to live a healthier lifestyle is to calculate how many calories you need on a daily basis. The amount of calories you need every day varies with every person depending on many different factors such as sex, weight, height, body type, etc. Once you calculate your daily caloric needs, you can count your calories to ensure you stay at your daily need.
Shopping more frequently for produce can reduce waste and increase the likelihood of actually eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Lots of people purchase their groceries once a week and sometimes forget to eat their fresh produce. If you stop by the store slightly more often, things won’t spoil as often and you’ll get into the habit of eating more fresh produce in no time.
Grow your own herbs for cooking in a container garden. Fresh herbs add wonderful flavors to food without adding fat or calories. If you grow your own you will always have a selection of your favorite herbs on hand. Be sure to add the herbs last while cooking so that the flavor is really strong.
Processed grains have a better taste, which is why processed grain is replacing whole grains. Using white flour is more efficient for some baked goods. Whole grains can help your digestive system, and have an overall better taste than grains that have been over-milled.
For optimal nutrition, you can never go wrong by eating fruits and vegetables. They are affordable, easily accessible, and provide your body with natural sugars. Eating fruits and vegetables can help you stay more energetic and focused. In addition, they have many other benefits to your overall health. Make sure you eat some every day.
If you are on a diet that highlights fruits and vegetables, do not forget to eat the skins on these foods. The skins are packed with nutrients and minerals that your body requires, and can go a long way in helping to curb your appetite so you do not eat poor quality foods later.
Making your own veggie wraps are a quick and tasty lunch sandwich that can also be healthy. Use whole-wheat tortillas and add an assortment of roasted, fresh or frozen vegetables. Top it off with some grated low-fat cheese. Roll everything up into a tight bundle and brown in a toaster oven. Yummy!
Going out to eat, but mindful of nutrition? If you’re in the mood to order something high in calories and fat, ask your waiter to divide your meal in half in the kitchen. Your waiter can put half of your meal in a “to go” container, and only bring the other half on your plate. This will help you keep yourself on track with your consumption of calories and fat. It will also let you enjoy some of the good things you love. And you’ll get to enjoy it again, for leftover!
Before you go grocery shopping you need to make a list and give yourself a time limit of how long you are planning on being in the store. If you do that you will be less likely to buy things that are not good for you since you will have much less time to browse.
When you apply the basic principles of nutrition, you maximize the quality of the fuel you feed your body. This is an important step in your overall health and wellness plan. Like using the proper fuel in you car, proper nutrition can optimize the overall performance of your body. Remember, don’t live to eat, instead, eat to live!