Eating Tips

 

Eating Tips

Nutrition People often confuse “dieting” with nutrition. Your body needs to have nutrients replaced, whether through foods being eaten or supplements. Do you remember what you learned in elementary school about the four major food groups? As adults, eating balanced meals from these groups still applies. It is important to remove “junk food” from your diet and stick with healthy foods. If you do not like certain things such as fruits or vegetables, be sure you are taking a supplement to get the nutrients needed. Another consideration is if you are a vegetarian. There are certain benefits taken from meat such as iron and B-12 that you should consider taking a supplement in exchange for the meat. Eat Less Later in the Day Everyone knows, whether they want to admit it or not, that reducing calories will help you to lose weight. However, just as you should reduce your calorie intake, you need to know when to eat. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the one meal that should not be missed. Lunch should be healthy but less than what you ate for breakfast. As you approach dinner, eat healthily but light. Avoid after-dinner snacks or eating before bed! Saucy but Healthy Eating bland foods is boring, and unsatisfying, and if that is what your diet consists of, more than likely, you will be off it shortly after you start. If you enjoy good-tasting food, some sauces and spices can enhance your food while not adding calories to your food. The next you grill meat, consider using one of these: Reduced-salt Soy Sauce Mustard Salsa Worcestershire Sauce Vinegar (this comes in wonderful flavors) Teriyaki Sauce Tomato Sauce Hot Sauce Stick with Whole Wheat Whole wheat is actually better for you. It offers more fiber, which helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diverticulosis, and diabetes to name a few. When possible, set aside the white flour and bread and reach for products that are made from oats, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, rye, brown rice, millet, and wheat. Watch the Sugar Often people think by drinking fruit juices or eating low-fat fruit roll-ups and such, they are cutting out or eliminating sugar. The fact is that some fruit juices have more sugar than soda. Reduction of sugar is important to good health; therefore always check out the sugar content of anything you put in your mouth, even if it appears to be healthy. Sodium As a way of reducing blood pressure, which is bad for the heart, reduce the amount of sodium (salt) you intake. You may be thinking of table salt but you should know that many canned vegetables, soups, and even soda, are very high in sodium. Look at your labels and try to cut back on processed foods. If you have a craving for salt, switch to natural seasoning and just a little salt.