Guest Post by Ashley Perez
Let's agree that we won't use the "d" word around here, you know the one... diet. It's not that diet is
a bad word by definition, in fact a diet is simply "the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats". However, the connotations behind the word diet have been skewed beyond repair.
When you hear the word diet you think of calorie counting, deprivation, and the dreaded "yo-yo syndrome" where you lose ten pounds one week, then gain fifteen the next week. Healthy eating has nothing to do with these three concepts.
When you hear the word diet you think of calorie counting, deprivation, and the dreaded "yo-yo syndrome" where you lose ten pounds one week, then gain fifteen the next week. Healthy eating has nothing to do with these three concepts.
In fact when you embrace the healthy eating lifestyle, you will eat better, feel fuller, and have more energy than you've ever had before.
Here are my three easy tips to get you eating healthy and feeling fabulous:
There you have it, three easy ways to get started on healthy living, it's a piece of cake... or should I say carrot?
What are your favorite whole foods to eat? Are you a fruits or veggies person?
- Eat whole, unprocessed foods as close to their natural state as possible: The easiest way to get healthy to is to eat straight from nature as often as possible. The foods that make you feel sluggish and dull are the foods that have been so heavily processed that they have lost almost all of their nutritional value. Tip: an easy way to make sure you're getting your adequate share of nutrients from whole foods is to eat colorfully, eating foods of many colors is a surprisingly easy way to ensure you're getting all of your daily nutrients. For more information about eating whole foods check out Forks Over Knives.
- Know your portions: Even if you're eating healthy foods, not knowing your portions is the easiest way to get off track. The average portion size in America is often 3 to 4 times what is should be, causing you to eat extra calories by eating extra servings. Check out the Mayo Clinic's guide to portion control here.
- Know your stats: It's hard to get your eating habits under control if you don't know exactly how much "fuel" your body needs to run. You know exactly how much gas your car needs to run, and the same should go for your body. By using a simple, yet comprehensive BMI (Body Mass Index) calculator like this one from WebMD, you can easily calculate your personal healthy body weight and the number of calories you need to maintain yourself on a daily basis. Remember calorie counting is not the be all end all of healthy living, but it is important to know roughly how many calories you are consuming a day to make sure you're not overfilling your tank.
There you have it, three easy ways to get started on healthy living, it's a piece of cake... or should I say carrot?
What are your favorite whole foods to eat? Are you a fruits or veggies person?
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