Eating healthy is an aspect of living that is beneficial for everyone who does it. Not all reasons to eat healthily include weight-loss-related motivations. Eating healthy can move you towards an overall healthier lifestyle that can ensure you live as long as possible and feel good while doing so. However, eating healthy can be complex, and there are many concepts you want to keep in mind, so you are making the most of your diet. Below we will discuss five easy-to-do and straightforward ways to eat healthier, as featured in an article on Nike.
Firstly, try to slow down as you are eating. When you chew slower and more thoroughly, it helps to increase your nutrient absorption and reduce your digestion. Some ways you can accomplish this are by eating with chopsticks, eating with your non-dominant hand, or putting your utensil down while you are chewing. Next, make sure you are only eating what you really need to. When you eat slower, it is easier to determine when you have had enough to eat. Try extending your meals by 10 or 15 minutes to be able to analyze your fullness properly. You should never feel overextended, and more so feel that you could eat more, but you do not have to.
The best way to begin changing your eating habits is by taking notes. Keeping a journal or a food log on a mobile app can assist you in doing so. After doing this for a while, you will start to notice a pattern and eliminate foods that are not helpful while adding foods that are. Another useful tool for eating healthy is meeting up with friends and family for dinner. Eating alone in front of the tv leads to overindulging; eating with others can cause you to eat more slowly and reduce stress.
Lastly, avoid demonizing foods that make you feel good from time to time. Eating healthy does not mean you can never enjoy ice cream or pastries ever again; it simply means there is room to cut down on the quantity you consume. Instead of going for an all-or-nothing approach, think of food on a spectrum and assess which foods you should eat more often and which should be eaten less frequently.