Many people believe that practicing good nutrition is synonymous with losing weight and dieting. The truth is that these words are only part of nutrition. Good nutrition involves eating a healthful, balanced diet, staying properly hydrated and taking the right supplements as needed. Weight loss or gain are actually side effects of this process. A person’s nutrition program needs to be adapted to their lifestyle. Keep reading to learn more about nutrition and which changes you should make to your diet. When you finish, you should feel more informed and prepared to make any changes necessary.
Read the fine print. When you are grocery shopping, don’t be fooled by packaging that gives the impression of containing healthy food. Don’t assume that because it is “low-fat” or “organic”, that it is healthy. Take a second to flip the box over and read the nutrition information panel and ingredient list to determine its nutritional content for yourself.
For many people, starting the day with a carb-heavy breakfast sets a vicious cycle in motion, where they get hungry all day. If you are one of those people, help yourself lose weight by having a low-carb, protein-heavy breakfast. If you fix yourself 2-3 scrambled eggs and a quick cup of tea or coffee, and no toast, you will be amazed at how long those eggs will stay with you. You won’t get that 10:30am hunger zap. Similarly, if you drag a bit in the early afternoon, a protein snack, such as a cheese stick, hard-boiled egg, or a few slices of lean deli turkey or ham will give you a centered feeling and keep you from feeling hungry too soon.
Suppose you are deciding whether to eat meat or not. There are two types of considerations. One is whether meat is “clean” food. Is it raised on a “factory farm” under toxic conditions? Is it loaded with hormones, nitrites and nitrates? If so, it is not a healthy food. The other consideration is ethical, this is a more complicated and individual decision.
If you are concerned about healthy nutrition, you will want to look into the growing movement for locally grown food. By buying produce from local small farms you get a fresher product. It hasn’t been shipped across country in refrigerated cars! If organically grown, it won’t be laden with pesticides.
If you don’t like vegetables, try hiding them in different dishes. For example, vegetable lasagna is usually enjoyed by everyone, even those who don’t enjoy the vegetables. This way, you can get all the really great minerals and vitamins from vegetables without having to eat them in a way that you’d rather not.
You must remember that proper nutrition is not just a diet you follow. It is a lifestyle change that you embrace. Good nutrition just means paying attention to what goes into a person’s body, including water, vitamins, minerals and, of course, sufficient energy. The preceding article detailed the fact that different body types call for different nutrition programs. If some information here applies to your body type, you should follow the advice to help your body achieve optimal health.