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Last Updated on May 24, 2024
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
Eating a nutritious diet is one of the simplest and proven ways to improve your health. If you’re on the journey to healthy living, here are six strategies to help you develop sustainable healthy eating habits.
Know your nutrients
You won’t be able to make healthier food choices if you lack knowledge of what a nutritious diet comprises. Take time to learn the essential nutrients and their respective food sources. Some of the main nutrients include carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, fats, and minerals. Fish, eggs, meat, nuts, and beans are excellent sources of protein, while rice, bread, pasta, bananas, apples, sweet potatoes, and milk are common carbohydrate sources.
Plan your meals
From reducing food waste to saving money to eating better and eliminating stress, meal planning certainly offers numerous benefits. Without an efficient food plan, it is relatively easy to binge eat or reach for the nearest processed food. Regardless of how busy you are, make it a point to dedicate a few hours daily or one day a week to prepping your meals.
Change your food narrative
One common hindrance to eating healthy is having a negative connotation about food. Change your perception of healthy eating and avoid labeling certain foods as bad. While some food products are indeed unhealthy, there’s no rule preventing you from consuming them in moderation.
Instead of restricting yourself from eating specific food groups, begin the habit of making healthy swaps. For instance, if you can’t remove rice from your diet, go for cauliflower rice instead of white rice. Or, if you have an allergic reaction to avocados or avocado oil but want to gain its health benefits, find a suitable avocado oil substitute that provides the same plethora of benefits.
Track your food consumption
While you don’t necessarily need to log everything you consume, it would help to monitor your food choices. Depending on your preferences, you can utilize food-tracking applications or write them down manually on paper.
In addition to listing what you ate, note your food portions and eating frequency. By tracking your food, you can efficiently identify your food triggers, become more intentional about your food choices, and be more aware of your nutrient intake.
Be gentle with yourself
Poor eating habits don’t disappear overnight, so refrain from placing unnecessary pressure on yourself to eat healthily. For your eating progress to be sustainable, avoid rushing the process and take it one day at a time. Start with small yet deliberate changes in your diet and choose an approach that fits your health needs and lifestyle.
Seek professional guidance
If you need a more structured plan for eating healthy, consider consulting with a licensed nutritionist. These trained professionals can provide nutrition advice tailored to your lifestyle, dietary needs, and health condition. In addition, they can widen your knowledge about nutrition and help you cultivate healthy eating habits.
Endnote
Eating healthily is not an all-or-nothing endeavor. While the concept of eating healthy might mean different things for each person, the main takeaway is to consume food with the essential nutrients your body needs to function properly.
