It’s National Nutrition Month and a good time to re-evaluate what you eat. As a nutritionist, people are always asking what they should eat to stay healthy. Is there a secret ingredient? Is there a way I should eat?
The answer is yes, there are ways you should eat and there are foods that you should include in your daily diet. As far as your weight goes, there are factors that come to play, like age & daily activity level.
Anyone, however, can be healthy and have a fast metabolism based on their food intake. First off, speeding up your metabolism is as easy as eating more often during the day. I recommend that everyone eat 5 times/day at about 2.5-3 hour intervals. These meals should be made up of 3 larger meals and 2 smaller meals (snacks) that are eaten in between Breakfast & Lunch and Lunch & Dinner. Just like a car that needs gasoline to run, your body needs fuel as well, in this case food, to keep it running fast and steady. This will also avoid overeating at any given meal because you are now feeding your body throughout the day.
“Dieters” often fall into the trap of eating less meals a day, which will initially cause a loss of weight, but will eventually end up with weight gain and create what is commonly know as yo-yo dieting. The secret, if you would like to call it that, is to eat smaller meals made up of good, healthy, simple foods. If it grows, be it animal or vegetable, it is usually safe to include in your diet. If it is manufactured or prepared by machines, avoid it. It may seem like a quick way to fix a family meal, but it is filled with salt and fats and other hidden dangers that you and your family do not need. Planning ahead for meals and having the food you want to eat in the house, can very often allow you to prepare a healthy meal just as quickly as one found in the frozen food section of the grocery store. You will find when eating this way, you will stay satisfied all day, and eat fewer calories with a much healthier product.
Really it doesn’t take much, just say no to the traditional snacks people think of… chips, candy, etc…. and reach for fruits, vegetables, grains, lean meats, all great for meals and your snacks.
Add in daily exercise! You’ve heard the ideas… park farther away, take the stairs, ride a bike... well, now is your chance to not just hear it, but to do it. Put in place one of these ideas each week. Make small changes in your daily routine and you’ll be rewarded in the end and in your end (haha, a little ‘bum’ humor). By the way, nothing better for the soul, then laughter. Include laughter in your day as well, good for your attitude and your waistline.
Supplements… There are many schools of thought, personally I am a big fan and I say include them, the good ones that is. No matter how well you eat, the majority of people will not take in the daily proper nutrition that your body requires to stay healthy and ward off disease. Do research, find the scientific evidence that backs the product you’re looking at. Ask your Doctor. Check out customer testimonials. Liquid nutrition can include a variety of vitamins, minerals and supplements in one dose and offer an easy way to include what you need in your diet, without having to swallow a lot of horse pills at various times during the day. However you decide to add supplements to your diet, I recommend that you do so.
So here you go… how you can put National Nutrition Month into action in your own life…
1. Eat 5 meals each day
2. Change one thing in your life each day to increase your exercise.
3. Choose a healthy supplement to complete what is missing in your diet.
4. Choose foods that grow and are not manufactured.
5. Increase your water intake each day.
6. Beware of added salts and fats.
6 steps to a better you and a healthier family.
Wishing you peace, love and laughter!
references:
Making Healthy Choices
Comments