Eating healthy does not mean you must give up all of the foods you like. You do need to make gradual changes, incorporating these changes into your daily meals so they become barely noticeable habits for the rest of your life. Regularly implementing nutritious dietary modifications can give you more energy to perform your daily tasks and reduces your risk of chronic diseases. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and heart disease develop slowly as you age, resulting from the daily neglect of good nutrition. Tweak the foods you like, enhancing their health value and improving your well-being.
Step 1
Exercise before you enjoy your pancake or waffle breakfast. Eat these fast-digesting, high-sugar carbs only after your exercise session, whether it's in the morning or in the afternoon. You will replace the glycogen in your muscles and in your liver more quickly and efficiently if you eat fast-digesting carbohydrates within 30 minutes of an exercise session, according to a 2004 article by Melinda Manore, Ph.D., and colleagues, published in "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal." Eating immediately after a workout refuels your body so you have energy for your next workout.
Step 2
Divide your three large meals into two smaller meals, keeping your blood sugar steady throughout the day. Cut your footlong sandwich in half. Eat half for your immediate lunch, saving the other half for a second lunch or snack in two to three hours. Pack a portion of your dinner to eat around four or five o'clock in the evening then eat the other portion at night, two to three hours before bed.
Step 3
Use healthier cooking methods to prepare your food, improving your health while still enjoying your favorite dishes. Spray a nonstick pan with pan spray to cook your "fried" eggs. Coat a nonstick griddle with olive oil in place of butter to cook your pancakes. Pan-sear your meats in canola oil then transfer it to the grill or oven to finish cooking instead of deep frying your food. Lather your toast with cholesterol-lowering margarine, replacing butter and lowering your bad cholesterol, or LDL, according to MayoClinic.com.
Step 4
Enhance the flavors of your food so you do not have to use as much saturated fats to enjoy the foods you like. Toast your herbs, seeds and nuts for a few minutes on medium heat before adding it to your dish, drawing out their aromatic fragrances and improving their flavors. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over your dish instead of adding more salt. Reducing your sodium intake can decrease your blood pressure by 2 to 3 millimeters of mercury, according to a 2007 article by Dr. Shelby Scott, published in "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal."
References
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Applying Concepts of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load to Active Individuals; Melinda Manore, Ph.D., et al; Septemeber/October 2004
- MayoClinic.com: Heart-healthy Diet: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Essential Hypertension: Lifestyle Intervention Treatments; Shelby Scott, M.D.; July/August 2007
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