Creating a sustainable diet that provides healthy foods to eat that are sustainable is the best way to lose weight and improve your body's health.
Have you ever tried a trendy diet, only to find you’re not seeing results? Or you lose some weight at the beginning of your diet, but then gain it all back shortly after? It’s because you’re not getting all the right nutrients your body needs, and because of that, your body suffers. When you’re looking to change your body, you shouldn’t be trying to lose weight. You want to create a diet that utilizes healthy foods to eat that are sustainable.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF HEALTHY NUTRITIONS
Regardless of the goals, all people need some sort of protein, fat, carb and assortment of vitamins and minerals in order to function normally and feel healthy. When it comes to healthy nutrition, don’t feel like you must rush to cut certain categories out of your diet.
Rather, be strategic and choose the best sources of protein, fat and carbohydrates you can.
PROTEIN
Protein is an essential component of healthy nutrition. Protein gives your body the needed fuel and support to operate on a day-to-day basis. Aim to consume up to a gram of protein per pound each day if possible. When it comes to eating protein, try and search out the highest quality foods possible as different types of protein don’t necessarily benefit you in the same way.
FAT
Many people group fats into the same category, but this thinking is flawed. Some fats, like omega-3 (found in fish like salmon and nuts and seeds), play a big role in reducing inflammation and even warding off feelings of sadness or depression. Aim to incorporate healthy fats into your diet while staying away from bad ones like trans-fat.
CARBOHYDRATES
Your body runs on carbs. Be mindful of the type of carbs you ingest to keep you moving. Refined carbs or sugars will not be as effective or healthy as fruits or whole grains. Limit your intake of bread and starches to avoid big swings in your energy.
VITAMINS & MINERALS
Pick and choose foods like oranges, filled with a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
This helps you save money on your grocery bill and maximize your nutrition on a daily basis.
TIP # 1: DETOXIFY THE BODY
Do you feel tired all the time? Do you suffer from aching muscles or sore joints? It might be because your body’s holding on to too many harmful toxins. Toxins can’t be avoided altogether – they’re in our air and in our food – but you can cut down on the poisons that you ingest. Substances in our diet, like mercury in fish and chemicals used to treat produce, can cause disastrous results on human health. When your body becomes overloaded with toxins, it’s not operating to the best of its ability. If you’re following healthy eating practices but are unable to shed those last 5-10 kilos, it could be because you’re full of too many toxins. How do you encourage your body’s natural processes, so it detoxifies to the best of its ability? The best way to combat this is by monitoring and altering what you’re eating.
An effective way of detoxifying the body and improving your healthy eating plan is to shift toward an alkaline-based diet. Many foods and drinks common in our diets, such as coffee, alcohol, meat and processed snacks, can cause our bodies to become acidic. When blood becomes acidic, inflammation occurs and triggers a number of health concerns ranging from body aches and pains to gastrointestinal issues and chronic diseases. To detox the body and improve overall health, follow a healthy eating plan incorporating alkaline foods like fruits and vegetables and avoid those that produce acid.
TIP # 2: CUT OUT SUGAR AND FLOUR
Ingredients like sugar and flour can be toxic to your health, but they’re also biologically addictive. In the case of addictive foods, we may know how to eat healthy, but our bodies still crave foods that are harmful to our health. Willpower alone isn’t enough to stop eating processed snacks like cookies and candy, because your brain keeps telling you to indulge long after you’ve had your fill. Begin your body transformation by cutting down on foods that contain high amounts of sugar and flour. You don’t need to completely remove these things from your diet but set achievable goals that lower your intake week by week. Gradually, you’ll begin to crave these items less frequently and you’ll also notice a difference in your waistline.
TIP #3: WORK WITH A HEALTH & LIFE COACH
For many people, learning healthy eating tips is not enough. Working with a Health & Life Coach can be the key to sticking to a healthy eating plan. Trained Health & Life Coaches will not only help you learn how to eat healthy, but they will also assist you with goal-setting, healthy habit creation and destroying limiting beliefs that are keeping you from your health goals. Health & Life Coaches understand how to eat healthy is not physical – it’s also a mental process. They can help condition your mind so that you actually enjoy working out and start craving the healthy foods that will lead to lasting health.
TIP #4: TRY INTERMITTENT FASTING
In the Western World, our culture emphasizes eating three square meals a day and throwing in snacks whenever hunger strikes or you’re in the mood for something sweet or salty. This isn’t sound advice for everybody and can have a negative impact on your healthy eating plan. Due to increasing portion sizes and the belief that hunger should be avoided at all costs, our culture is now undergoing a major obesity epidemic. You need to eat the amount of food that’s right for fueling your body. Sometimes, that means taking half of your meal home from the restaurant or engaging in practices like Intermittent Fasting.
Don’t be scared of the word “fasting.” Intermittent fasting, or I.F., is about getting comfortable with your body in both the “fed” and “fasted” states. You are in a fed state for 3-5 hours after eating, meaning your body is satiated. In the fasting state between meals, your body is restoring its natural hormone and cholesterol levels. Those who practice I.F. only eat during set periods of time throughout the day so their body has the chance to reap the benefits of both the fed and fasting states. When you combine I.F. with healthy eating, you can boost weight loss as well as overall health and vitality
TIP #5: USE SUPPLEMENTS
It’s not always possible to receive all the nutrients you need from your food even if you know how to eat healthy. For an added boost of detoxifying health, choose a supplement that’s right for your body. Supplements are convenient and packable and can provide you with all the vitamins and compounds you need to reach optimal energy levels without having to spend time and money trying to consume a wide range of food. Not all supplements are created equal, so be sure to research and compare different brands and closely read dosage amounts. With formulas available that focus on bolstering your immune system to supplements that aid weight loss and foster muscle development, you’ll find a solution that works for your specific health goals.
TIP #6: INCORPORATE FASTING
Losing weight is 80% focusing on healthy eating and 20% making sure you’re getting enough physical activity. Find a sport or workout you enjoy so it doesn’t feel punishing to complete it. Aerobic Exercise is the best way to lose weight and keep your body performing at its peak level. Aerobic exercise gets your heart pumping and oxygen moving throughout your body, which helps to eliminate fat storage and boost the number of calories burned in a single workout. Find a workout that’s right for you, whether it’s walking, jogging, playing tennis, doing yoga or swimming. The important thing is finding a routine you can stick with so your health goals become sustainable
TIP #7: ADDING ANTI-INFLAMMATORY HERBS
One of the easiest healthy eating tips to follow is to add a variety of herbs to your cooking. The great thing about adding herbs to your meals is that they pack a ton of flavour and health benefits while barely adding any calories to your dish. Spices like turmeric, cayenne pepper, thyme, rosemary, chili powder and garlic help your body regulate inflammation and function at its highest level. They can also turn otherwise bland foods into something you’ll actually enjoy eating. Sprinkle these spices on your favourite foods or toss some of them in a smoothie for a quick, healthy snack.
THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR DIET
Now that we’ve gone through some healthy eating tips, let’s look at what a sustainable health diet should look like. The basis of your diet should be high quality, grass-fed, organic proteins. Support your body’s functions by ingesting proteins as well as healthy fats like the kind that comes from nuts, avocados and olive oils. Eating cruciferous vegetables is a great way to take in anti-inflammatory compounds while filling up on healthy, low-calorie foods. Cruciferous veggies are members of the broccoli family and include bok choy, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and other leafy green vegetables. You should also incorporate fruits and plenty of water, preferably in an alkalized form.
THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR DIET
Finding healthy foods to eat doesn’t have to be a struggle. There’s plenty of tasty options available that are easy to eat raw or cooked – and that are easy on the pocketbook.
Here’s a short list of some healthy foods to eat that are power-packed with nourishing vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
 | Mushrooms are a great addition to any diet since they are easily adapted to a variety of dishes. Mushrooms are packed with beneficial nutrients like selenium and vitamin D and also serve as a solid substitute for meat in various vegetarian dishes. |
Walnuts are filled with omega-3 fats that can play a big part in lowering bad cholesterol levels. Walnuts are easy to snack on and can even be baked or sprinkled on a wide range of foods to give your meal a nutritional boost. |  |
 | Eggs are a staple of many diets, and for good reason. Eggs, especially the yolks, are one of the best sources of choline, which plays a large role in reducing inflammation. Eggs are easy to cook and make for a great way to start the day on a healthy note. |
Many see oranges as a go-to food for when they’re feeling a bit sick. Aside from helping your immune system, vitamin C is thought to boost collagen production. Oranges are also filled with a variety of other beneficial nutrients, like potassium and folate. |  |
All of the above foods are a few examples of the many delicious and nutritional
foods you can adapt into your diet to lose weight, have more energy and make steps on the path to mind-body wellness.
There’s no magic pill or workout plan you can follow to get the body you want. You have to commit to changing your lifestyle and making healthy eating decisions. Whether it’s changing up your diet to incorporate more cruciferous vegetables and lean proteins or finding a workout plan you love, you can learn how to eat healthy and stay active to achieve overall wellness. Make your health a priority today and start experiencing greater energy levels and a more joyful existence.
READY TO PERFORM AT YOUR PEAK AND AMPLIFY YOUR VITALITY?
Learn about the power of healthy eating and feed your mind, body and soul with Kate Southall, Health & Life Coach, in her Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Coaching Program.
Email Kate on kate@freedomempowermentimpact.com.au
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