I’ve always been a believer in the old adage” you are what you eat”, but not until recently did I grasp the validity of those words. For the past year I admit that I was not as vigilant about my diet and activity as I should have been. I indulged in many of my favorite foods while choosing an inactive lifestyle to go along with it. Before I knew it, I had packed on unwanted pounds that had taken months to get off and was feeling the increasing effects of a poor diet. The changes were subtle at first, an ache here and there along with bloating and feelings of fogginess; however, fast-forward ahead a few weeks, and I was suddenly in the throes of an all-out war being waged against my body. I knew I had to immediately make changes—my quality of life depended on it. I elicited the help of a nutritionist, and started eliminating foods from my diet that contained empty calories, that otherwise did not provide nourishment or nutrients to my body. I increased my consumption of fruits and vegetables, limited my whole grains; in addition to adding lean meats, and monitoring my portions. More importantly I began moving, slowly increasing my activity until I was up to 45 minutes most days.
I thought about my food habits growing up and realized that my weight problems did not start until my early twenties when I moved away from home and discovered processed and pre-packaged foods. Growing up, fast food and pre-packaged foods did not exist in our household and sweets were only allowed on a very limited basis. All this being said; I realized that sometimes we have to get back to the basics when seeking to renew our health through what we consume. How do we do this?
10 Tips for Healthier Eating
• Cook healthier versions of your favorite dishes, and seek out substitutes for oil- and butter-based recipes.
• Forgo the salt and use spices and herbs to liven up the flavor of your food.
• Fill up on veggies, consider making half your meals vegetables and add variety.
• Get in plenty of fruit, but don't overdo it.
• Incorporate whole grains, but keep them to a minimum.
• Measure your food for portion control, or eat half of what you choose to consume.
• Consume a healthy combination of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.
• Whenever possible, eat foods in their natural form; an example would be a baked sweet potato versus canned.
• Resist the temptation for quick-fix meals from processed and prepackaged foods.
• Plan your meals ahead of time to avoid fast food.
