10 Tips For Eating Your Way To Good Health

By: Niki Bowman

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Healthy eating is not about restrictions if you follow these 10 tips to eating your way to good health. Learning the habits of healthy eating can improve your health by boosting your energy, reducing your risks of certain illnesses and improving your mood. With small changes in your lifestyle, you can be on your way to a healthier you.

  1. Consume less fat. Red meats, cheese and processed foods are high in saturated fat. Choose lean cuts of meat and low-fat slices of chicken or turkey. 
  2. Eat what grows out of the ground. Fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products all come from mother nature. High-fructose breakfast meals do not. Simply stated, avoid foods with questionable origins.
  3. Control your portions. Eating large portions will really slow down your metabolism and wreak havoc on your digestion system. Limit meat portions to no bigger than the palm of your hand.
  4. Limit alcohol. Alcohol is high in calories with none of the benefits of nutrients or vitamins. Occasionally indulge in a glass of red wine or one beer after work.
  5. Food substitutions work. There's no need to scrap everything you eat. Try modifying what you already put in your mouth. If you eat white bread, switch to whole wheat bread. Love cookie dough ice cream? Eat some sorbet or frozen yogurt..
  6. Drink water. Consume at least eight to ten glasses of water a day. Water helps to keep your body feeling full. Also, you're more likely to eat less when your chugging a glass of aqua.
  7. Whole grains are king. Whole wheat flour and grains not only retain vital nutrients, but they are more filling and satisfying. Try whole wheat breads and pastas as easy substitutions for your meals.
  8. Don't eat in anger. Emotional eating disguises how much you are really eating. Whether you're feeling guilty, depressed, sad or angry, gnaw on some carrot sticks instead of wolfing down a bag of corn chips.
  9. Smart snacking. Nuts, cheeses, yogurt and apples are great snack choices. Be sure to keep stashes at work and in your car to thwart sudden cravings that send you to the taco truck or nearest fast food joint.
  10. Eat a variety of foods. You need at least 40 different nutrients to maintain good health. No single food can supply them all. Balance out your day with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy and meat products.

 

Posted on: Oct. 18, 2010