Newer research emerging for eating healthy and the internet abundant with various diet and nutrition tips is leaving the people confused with the right foods to eat. There are too many conflicting diet tips doing the rounds which is adding to the confusion. Healthy eating is not about restricting or giving away with your favourite foods or being thin. It is about enjoying what you eat and feeling energetic. Eliminating certain foods or making drastic changes is never a solution. Instead, small alterations last longer and become habits for lifetime. This article sheds light on simple and evidence based tips for healthy eating.
1.Balanced diet all the way:
A balanced diet is one that gives your body the nutrients it needs to function correctly from different food groups. In order to get the proper nutrition from your diet, you should obtain the majority of your daily calories from:
Include foods from these food groups daily without skipping out a single group in order to provide for the nutrition of your organs and tissues. Your body is more prone to disease, infection, fatigue and poor performance if you do not have the right mix of foods from these groups. Avoid going on a diet which is depriving your body of 1 or more food groups. Focus on nourishing your body, not depriving it.
2. Sugar calories are dangerous:
Sugar sweetened beverages like energy drinks, sports drinks and fizzy drinks are by far the largest sources of added sugar in our diet. Second to that are the foods rich in sugar like ice creams, mithais, pastries, cakes, doughnuts, etc. Research indicates that excess sugar may stimulate the liver to dump more harmful fats into the bloodstream thus increasing the risk of a heart disease. The other problem with excess sugar is that it very rapidly increases blood sugar levels and this can lead to tiredness and increased hunger resulting in excess weight gain. So, if you are craving for some sugar then have a fruit based dessert or dig into the dried fruits with their natural sweetness.
3. Get your beauty sleep:
Getting enough sleep is as important as healthy eating and exercise if not less. Poor sleep can lead to insulin resistance, affect your appetite hormones and reduce your physical and mental performance. Insufficient sleep impacts two hormones, ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin signals your brain that it's time to eat and leptin signals to diminish it or gives a satiety signal. When you're sleep-deprived, your body makes more ghrelin. So, no wonder sleep deprivation leads to overeating and extra weight. A minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep is the recommendation for staying fitter.
4. Put colour on your plate:
Vegetables and fruits are the “default” health foods. They are packed with prebiotic fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential antioxidants, some of which have potent biological effects. Eating foods such as fruits that are lower in calories instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.
5. Do not miss your exercise:
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. Regular exercise helps prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, a number of types of cancer, arthritis and falls. Physical activity stimulates the “happy hormones” in your brain that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.
6. Eat Real Food
Junk is food that is high in calories and is nutrient poor. It often contains harmful synthetic ingredients. Eating junk food for long periods of time can lead to obesity, vitamin deficiencies, heart disease and other health problems. Memory and learning problems are also associated with regular consumption of junk food. Junk foods are designed to be addictive which will make you crave for them. Hence, your brain can make you crave for them even when you are not hungry.
7. Drink Enough Water
Treat water as a nutrient and see it work wonders for you. As fluids are lost from the skin, breath, urine, etc it is important to continuously replace them for good health. Especially for people in fitness a water-electrolyte balance helps prevent fatigue. And for the ones looking to have a radiant skin water is the natural booster. Water also helps in getting rid of the body toxins along with your kidneys and for the weight watchers water along with the fiber may keep you full and thus prevent you from eating the excess calories.
Many diets promise weight loss or good health, but if your priority is to have them both without falling a prey to chronic illnesses, then it is going to be the scientifically backed tips that will help you. There are many diets doing the rounds on the internet including Indian diet plan for weight loss but if you are looking for genuine science backed tips then consult a good Nutritionist who will be able to solve your queries and help you both on weight loss and healthy eating.
Glycemic Index in weight loss programs – An overview
The food that we eat or drink provides fuel to the body. The nutrients - carbohydrates, proteins and fats from food are used to provide the body with the necessary energy that it needs. Energy can be used right away by the body to provide energy or stored to be used later. However, from the three nutrients mentioned above, carbohydrates are the main providers of energy to the body.
Fuel Up Your Workout
Appropriate nutrition helps our body perform better and recover faster after a workout. Good nutrition not only helps in maximizing the performance but also minimizes the muscle damage.
A Silent Killer - Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s way of naturally protecting itself against harm. However, when inflammation stays for long the immune system is drained and the body finds it difficult to deal with illnesses. Researchers have also found that obesity can weaken the immune system and reduce its ability to fight infections. So, getting into a weight loss program and losing weight will help fight inflammation.
