Eating healthy doesn't necessarily mean depriving yourself of the foods you love. Instead, think of eating healthy as a chance to eat more of the foods that feed your body and less of the ones that can lead to disease or weight gain. In most cases, you can switch to a healthy diet by making small changes one at a time.
Step 1
Determine how many calories you need to eat every day. As a general rule, the average adult needs about 2,000 calories, but this varies depending on a number of factors. To get an exact number based on your height, sex and exercise level, you can use an online calculator like the one available at Free Dieting.
Step 2
Eat the right fats. Unsaturated (vegetable) fats raise your HDL (good) cholesterol and provide necessary nutrients. On the other hand, saturated (animal) fats can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and put you at risk for heart disease and other health problems. Good sources of healthy fats include olive oil, nuts, avocado and flaxseed.
Step 3
Reduce the amount of sugar you eat. Sugar has no nutritional value but can increase your weight and glucose, leading to health problems, such as diabetes. Pastries, candy, refined-grain products and desserts should be consumed no more than a couple of times a week, if at all. Sugar is a common ingredient in a number of products, so read the label before purchasing something.
Step 4
Limit liquid calories. Water is the ideal drink, but if you want variety, you can add diluted fruit juices. Half cup water and 1/2 cup juice gives you lots of flavor but reduces the amount of sugar and calories you consume. If you miss sodas, have a diet one once in a while. Sport drinks are usually too high in carbohydrates and only meant to be drunk if you're exercising heavily.
Step 5
Make fruits and vegetables part of your daily diet. If you don't like to eat them alone, add them to other dishes, such as soups, sauces or omelettes. You can make fruits into sorbets or smoothies. Grilled vegetables can make a good side dish for every meal.
Step 6
Switch to lean proteins. Turkey, fish and chicken are lower in fat than red meats and can be broiled, baked or grilled to keep them lean. Vegetable proteins, such as tofu, tempeh and soybeans are also great choices. Low-fat dairy is fine but limit your consumption of cheese and creams.
Member Comments