Thousands of years ago, food was often scarce, and walking was the primary mode of transportation. Until people had the ability to grow and store food readily, about 150 years ago, men and women changed their use of the community food supply, adapting it over their lifetime, according to their changing responsibilities. They ate more while they were active hunters and bearers of children and less as they aged out of these roles.
Living at a healthy weight now requires both increasing the amount of daily exercise and decreasing the numbers of calories eaten until you reach a healthy balance.
Step 1
Eat by intention, not by default. It helps to stay in charge of your eating if you plan meals in advance of shopping, and one way to do this, based on sound nutritional principles is a 40-20-10-10-10-10 plan. Invest 40 percent of your food money on vegetables, 20 percent on protein and 10 percent each for the purchase of fresh fruit, whole grains, nuts and cultured dairy products such as yogurt, kefir and high quality cheese. These percentages closely resemble the heart-healthy and waistline friendly Mediterranean diet, recommended by the National Institutes of Health. Make olive oil, brown rice, quinoa and spices with a high nutritional value, such as basil, thyme, ginger, garlic and turmeric, your new staples and stock up on these once a month.
Step 2
Define the criteria for the healthy-food selection that matters most to you. You are investing time, money and calories in the foods you eat, so it makes sense to set criteria for these expenditures, just as you do when purchasing a car or investing in the stock market. For example: Fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids such as tuna, salmon, lake trout and halibut, as well as walnuts, avocados and dark green leafy vegetables, offer protection against heart disease, depression and several common forms of cancer, so purchasing these will yield a high return for your dollars and your calories. Expand your notion of junk food to include all those foods that raise your blood glucose rapidly, such as those containing flour, sugar, white rice and milk that is not cultured. Ban foods that raise your omega-6 fatty acid, a relative to omega-3 that is far too common in the standard Western diet and which blocks omega-3. Processed foods and red meat are the primary causes of the imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 consumption, which can lead to disease.
Step 3
Prepare to shop. Start by cleaning your kitchen thoroughly to remove old food, assess what still remains usable and prepare the refrigerator for incoming food. Set out storage containers too, so they are ready and waiting to store your freshly cleaned produce. Then plan the timing of your trip to the store so that it falls right after taking a walk or going to the gym. It will be easier to select only healthy food when you have just engaged in healthy activity.
Step 4
Eat your calories and drink water. Water is free of both calories and side effects, and human adults need approximately eight cups of it each day. Conversely, juice is as high in calories per ounce as soda, even when restricted to one can a day, and has been associated with a 38 percent increase in the incidence of metabolic syndrome, according to findings reported by the University of Minnesota in the January 2008 issue of the journal "Circulation." This team compared people who ate similar diets and differed only in their beverage choices, so their discovery means your battle against abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and prediabetic insulin resistance might be won by switching from diet sodas and other artificially sweetened drinks to water and plain tea or espresso.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring cups and spoons
Member Comments