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Paleo, carnivore, keto, Atkins, Whole30, vegan — the list of diets available today is endless. It has become common to see more and more individuals unquestioningly adhering to these.

Is food really that complex and stressful a subject worth obsessing over? Or should it simply be the source of gratitude and joy nourishing the body and the soul?

Healthy eating is one of the primary pillars of a fit lifestyle, the other two being regular exercise and adequate rest. A slip in one can rapidly render the other two ineffective.

Nutrition can be an overwhelming topic, so we are going to try and help simplify things for you. In this article, we will cover 15 different tips you can implement into your lifestyle to make eating healthy easier than ever.

Plan Ahead

With some planning, it is possible to consume wholesome and delectable meals every single day. Creating a weekly meal plan is the first step toward a systematic approach to healthy eating.

Start by creating a meal plan encompassing all the meals of the day, namely, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Our hectic lives and unrealistic work pressures do not leave us with much time for elaborate cooking on a daily basis.

Therefore, your choice of recipes should be made by taking this important aspect into consideration. Choose recipes that are flavorful yet simple to make. Meal planning is your opportunity to ensure that every meal is a balanced one.

Next, create a grocery list that includes all the essential ingredients you'll need during the week. A quick tip would be to consider stepping out for grocery shopping after a meal. It helps you stick to your list and prevents you from grabbing unnecessary items and junk foods at the store.

Cleaning and cutting the fruits and vegetables, in accordance with your meal plan, and prepping some other essentials like flavored oils, spice mixes, and marinades come next. Portion the prepped food into airtight containers (affiliate link) to keep them fresh for a long. Ideally, you shouldn’t be buying more than what you need for the week, but this is not always possible. If you have leftover produce, make sure you store it in a manner that prevents it from going bad.

Enjoy All the Food Groups

Wholesome nutrition is only possible when all food groups show representation on your plate. Each food group is significant as it contributes uniquely to overall health.

Vitamins and minerals are important for a healthy gut and a strong immune system. They are also needed for nerve and bone health. Certain vitamins like vitamins C and E possess high antioxidant properties that lower the chance of developing chronic illnesses.

Carbs are the primary source of energy for the body. Glucose, the product of carbohydrate breakdown, is used by the body as fuel. Interestingly, glucose is paramount to brain health as the brain only utilizes glucose as fuel for healthy functioning. Carbohydrates also aid in digestion and control blood sugar levels. While choosing the right carbohydrates is crucial, completely cutting them out will only have a negative impact on vital bodily functions.

Proteins are the building blocks of tissues such as bones, muscles, and organs. Consumption of sufficient protein thus becomes important in repairing or rebuilding these tissues. Protein is necessary for the production of hormones and enzymes needed for functions like digestion, metabolism, etc. Protein provides increased satiety levels, which helps in weight management. Antibodies produced in response to pathogens such as viruses or bacteria are nothing but proteins, making them essential for immunity.

Fats play an important role in protecting internal organs from injury. They are used in producing a variety of essential hormones, like cortisol, that preserve the structure of the cell. Fats help the absorption of certain fat-soluble minerals. Above all, they are an essential source of energy reserve in the body.

In essence, stop lending your plate as the battleground for the war of food groups. Instead, eat a well-balanced diet by including all food groups and learn to focus on portion control instead.

If you need a list of health-promoting foods, check out our Healthy Transformation Grocery List (affiliate link).

Avoid Foods High in Saturated Fat and Trans Fat

Think heart! Foods high in saturated fat and trans fat directly impact the heart and can turn fatal if not controlled. These fats deposit in the arteries and cause an irregular or slower flow of blood. An increased amount of fat deposits results in clogging the arteries, causing heart attacks or strokes, depending on where the block is formed.

Trans fats notoriously interfere with insulin production and cause insulin resistance, developing type 2 diabetes. Hence, it is highly recommended to avoid or limit the consumption of foods high in saturated fat or trans fat and include healthy fats like olive oil and avocado oil instead.

Choose Lean Proteins Over Fatty Proteins

We know that protein is important for the building and repair of tissues in the body. However, choosing the right type of protein can be consequential to your fitness journey.

Fatty proteins constitute a higher caloric value and are high in saturated fats. Lean proteins, on the other hand, are lower in calories and saturated fat. As a result, they help in managing weight and preventing heart disease. Lean proteins are also easy on the digestive system. Make it a practice to include lean protein foods like turkey and chicken breast, salmon, tuna, beans, legumes, and eggs in your diet.

Increase Your Variety of Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and vegetables are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, all of which are vital to a healthy body. The antioxidants and phytochemicals present in them encourage a strong immune system and protect the body from inflammation. This anti-inflammatory property can reduce the risks of cancer and other chronic diseases.

The fiber content in fruits and vegetables promotes good gut health. It also keeps you fuller for longer, preventing you from frequent snacking and allowing you to manage weight effectively.

Include a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet, as every color indicates the presence of a different set of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that are essential for overall health.

Enjoy Sources of Healthy Fats

Physical activities like exercise require energy. If carbohydrates are not sufficient to provide energy, the body dips into the energy stored as fat. Monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered healthy fats, and they offer several health benefits.

They contribute to heart health by reducing cholesterol levels. Their anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes and cancer. Monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats leave you feeling satiated, which reduces the chances of overeating and promotes a healthy weight. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to play a role in promoting brain health by leading to better mood and memory.

Some tweaks in habits, like switching to low-fat milk and including healthy fats in the form of cold-pressed oils, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, etc., can be beneficial to overall health.

Practice Portion Control

Portion control is a powerful practice to control calorie intake and manage weight. It teaches you to be mindful of both the quality and quantity of food you consume. It tunes you closely into the needs of your body and helps you make conscious food choices.

Eating in a controlled manner reduces the chances of fat storage, which can potentially cause a lot of health hazards, such as obesity and heart problems. Portion control also prevents overeating, which is often the root cause of bloating, indigestion, and a stressed digestive system.

Choose Complex Carbs Over Simple Carbs

Carbohydrates are essential fuel for the body. However, choosing the right type of carbohydrate is important. Simple carbohydrates present in foods like sugar digest very easily, causing a spike in blood sugar levels. High levels of insulin are directly linked to diabetes and obesity. Simple sugars are high in caloric value but low in nutrition.

Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are a great choice as they are high in nutrients and low in sugar. They digest slowly, release glucose steadily, and provide sustained levels of energy. Consume complex carbohydrates by including whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

Drink Plenty of Water

From looking good to feeling good, water is an essential nutrient for all bodily functions. Water regulates the body temperature and helps in carrying nutrients to every part of the body. It eliminates toxins and waste products from the body, aids skin health, and prevents the body from dehydration.

Water is essential for recovery from muscle fatigue and cramps, which are common side effects that arise from strenuous physical activity. Lastly, sipping on water throughout the day can leave you with a feeling of fullness, which prevents you from unnecessary snacking, thus limiting your calorie intake.

Limit Added Sugars

Added sugars are nothing but a source of empty calories, leading to weight gain and obesity. They easily spike blood sugar and cause diabetes. Apart from risking dental health, they also increase the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.

Consumption of whole foods, milk, fruits, etc., is sufficient to fulfill the body’s daily sugar requirements. However, it has become a norm to see added sugars snuck into most packaged foods and condiments under different chemical names that are difficult to spot. Cereal, bread, ketchup, and many other products that we use on a regular basis have copious amounts of added sugar in them.

Be aware and make it a point t to read food labels before you pick packaged and processed foods off the shelf.

Minimize Process Foods

Foods are processed for a variety of reasons like convenience, taste, and long shelf life. Processing often strips the food of its natural nutrients and decreases its nutritive value. The use of unhealthy fats and the addition of preservatives, excessive amounts of sugar and salt, colors, and stabilizers invite various health problems like increased blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart problems. Minimizing processed foods reduces your risks against such diseases.

Cook at Home

Cooking at home gives you complete control over what you put into your body. A home-cooked meal is free of preservatives and a lot of other unnecessary additives for better visual appeal and longer shelf life.

Cooking at home is a great way to save money and ensure that the quality of ingredients used is top-notch. Above all, it gives you the creative freedom to whip up a fun meal using your own recipes.

Cooking with family is a great way to bond. Kids benefit from this practice as you are able to introduce them to a variety of healthy foods and teach them the importance of healthy eating at an early age.

Meal Prep

Meal prep is the most underrated step when it comes to healthy eating. Meal prep conditions your mind to look forward to a variety of healthy meals throughout the week. It prevents you from reaching out to unhealthy food or ordering takeouts.

Picking out your dishes and recipes in advance saves you the monotony of having to make decisions repeatedly before every meal. Meal prep is a one-time effort that sets the ball rolling for the rest of the week. The process feels rewarding when you find yourself left with free time during the week that can be utilized for more important activities or hobbies.

Pick one day a week to grocery shop and prep the meals you can for at least four days.

Don't Drink Your Calories

The term ‘drinking your calories’ refers to the consumption of drinks like sodas, fruit juices, sweetened beverages, alcohol, etc. These drinks contain very high amounts of sugar, mainly in the form of added sugars, and they contribute to a very high but empty caloric intake.

Regular consumption of such drinks can cause lifestyle diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease in the long run. Limit or omit the consumption of such drinks and replace them with healthier alternatives like water, green or unsweetened tea, or other low-calorie beverages.

Eat Enough Fiber

Fiber is imperative to digestive health. It helps in the smooth elimination of waste from the body. It is known to regulate blood sugar levels in the body and reduce the risk of developing diabetes. A fiber-rich diet can keep you satiated for a long time. This results in reducing overall calorie intake and aids weight management.

Fiber is also known to reduce the risks of colon cancer. Make it a point to include a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to meet your dietary fiber needs.

Final Thoughts

The food industry is constantly bombarding us with products that boast of enhanced taste, better visual appeal, easy cooking, time-saving, and long shelf life. What they don’t reveal is the full-fledged operation of the chemistry lab that runs behind the scenes, making all of these claims possible. As consumers, what we end up consuming is nothing but chemical-laden, high-caloric, low-nutritive products that harm our health over time.

Consuming healthy food is key to a healthy body. But walking down this path demands strong willpower and a great deal of effort and dedication to stay committed. It requires you to alter your mindset and make those little changes discussed in this article. Keeping at it regularly will eventually help you form a habit that you will never want to break after seeing the results it brings to you, both physically and mentally.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if you eat healthily every day?

When eating healthy becomes a way of life, it reflects positively on the body and mind. Eating healthy is a good way to lose excess weight and manage the desired weight once you get there. It significantly improves immunity, leads to better digestion, and provides higher energy levels. Healthy eating is also associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases, improved mental health, and better sleep.

Is eating healthy expensive?

Consuming a healthy diet need not be a bank-breaking proposition. Eating healthy on a budget is possible with some planning and preparation. Having a grocery list prevents you from impulse or double-buys. Consider buying bulk quantities of lentils and legumes that you would like to include in your meals. Bulk buying always works out cheaper.

Use seasonal and local fruits and vegetables. Less traveled and local produce are not only inexpensive but also fresher and healthier. Reduce the habit of ordering out and start cooking in. Not only does this save you money, but it gives you control over every ingredient that goes into your body.

What is the 80/20 rule?

The Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is based on the phenomenon that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of the causes. In a dietary context, this rule implies that you focus on nutrient-dense foods 80% of the time, allowing 20% of the time for indulgent or less nutritive foods.

The beauty of this rule lies in its non-restrictive nature and its ability to teach balance. The 80/20 rule is a great place to start healthy eating habits without having to feel the pressure of eliminating or giving up your favorite foods.