Everyone knows that we have to eat healthily in order to stay healthy. Yet many people find it hard to do so. It doesn't help that there are so many diet plans out there, each one purporting to be 'the one true diet' for you. One useful way to get you into the habit of eating healthily is by applying a few principles to the way you eat. I've outlined 7 of them below.
I. Eat small portions of food for each meal.
II. Eat frequently. Most adults get hungry about 4 hours after their last meal. Aim to eat at least 5 small sized meals each day. This keeps your metabolic rate high, thus helping you lose weight easily, naturally and healthily.
III. Eat foods that you enjoy eating, making sure that each meal contains all the essential nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins).
IV. Eat only when you’re hungry.
V. Stop eating as soon as you feel full: practice pushing away your plate with food still on it when you’ve had enough. Don’t aim to wipe the plate clean, and don’t eat until you feel stuffed. Eat until you’re comfortably satisfied.
VI. Drink a lot of water. Scientists recommend that we drink roughly 8 (250mls) glasses of water each day. Water helps you stay full, and if you’re eating only when you’re hungry, it means you’ll eat less without feeling like you’re depriving yourself. It also helps you flush out toxins from your body which otherwise could interfere with your body’s normal metabolism.
VII. Eating should be a pleasure, not a pain. For any food plan to work, it has to be practical, enjoyable, flexible and nutritious. Any plan that's based on depriving you of some food or other is almost certainly doomed to fail in the long term.
Try incorporating the above tips into the way you eat. Start with one of them, practice it for a week (or until you're used to it), then start on another one. If you make changes in small steps, you won't be overwhelmed and easily discouraged by your progress.
So make a small change each time; celebrate (or reward yourself) for each success, no matter how small you think it is.
Remember, every baby step is bringing you closer to your desired goal of being a healthy eater. With persistence, you will find that eating healthily is not only possible, but it's fun.
So go for it!
Dr. Kem Thompson is a Personal Coach. Subscribe to her FREE ezine, 'Days of Success!' and discover how to achieve success in your health, wealth and other personal goals.
