Healthy eating is not just a habit it’s a lifestyle choice for many, but for some of us eating healthy is not always easy, rather it feels like a chore. The term “Healthy Eating” is quite overrated & misused sometimes. We often hear people mention it, but what exactly does it actually mean? Let’s figure it out together.
Our body needs a certain amount of energy and nutrients to function properly, consuming a stable amount of food to gain enough energy & nutrients that your body requires, can be called healthy eating. Let’s dig a little deeper into it, each one of us has a different schedule and way of living, leading to a unique energy & nutrient consumption. Making all of our required diets very different from one another. We need to balance the amount of calorie intake with the number of calories we burn, thus healthy eating in simple terms can be the consumption of enough required calories and nutrients. Eating too much can lead to fat formation because the energy intake is more than the energy used, on the other hand eating too little can lead to sudden weight reduction. Also, we have to have variety in our daily meal plate, so that all kinds of required nutrients are supplied to the body and we intake a balanced diet.
All this can seem a little on the tougher side and thus maintaining a balanced diet can seem impossible but it’s actually not. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be a hectic task and neither does it need to be less tasty. What if we tell you that, you can be healthy and eat tasty food at the same time? Though hard to believe it is true, healthy eating is no longer considered to be flavorless and difficult, it has become the most advisable lifestyle choice that is adopted by most of the population right now.
How to shift to healthier eating habits?
Before making major changes in your lifestyle, let’s understand how healthy eating works and how can you comfortably make it a habit!
Take Your Time to Eat
Studies show that eating at a fast pace has a direct impact on how much you eat, leading to how healthy you eat. With a higher pace you are more likely to overeat, thus slowing up your eating pace can be helpful towards a healthier lifestyle.
Reduce Oil Consumption
Not only the food but the way it’s being prepared also has a lot of impact on your health. Lowering oil consumption can immediately take you to the healthier side of the meal. So next time, instead of grilling or frying your food in a pool of oil, try baking or roasting. And when using oil is a must, use oils that are not too harmful for your body. Try shifting to Soybean, Canola & Sunflower oil instead of your regular oil.
Fruits & Veggies
The very primary idea of healthy eating begins with fruits & vegetables consumption. They are the easiest way to gain a variety of nutrients and make your diet balanced. The right way to eat your veggies should be before your main course so that you have them when you’re the hungriest. Similarly, the right way to consume your fruits should be to eat them instead of drinking them. Studies show that fruit juices are comparatively less effective than eating whole fruits.
Drink Enough Water
Your water intake has a lot to do with your diet, drinking enough water is highly recommended and very important for your health. When thirsty you can have any beverage to meet your requirement, but the calories and sugar present in your drink will be getting added to your calorie intake. Replacing most of your other beverages with water can create a difference in your diet and make it healthier.
More Activity & Sleep
Getting more activity can add various benefits to your day-to-day life. Being active reduces stress, anxiety & depression tendencies, all of which are the primary reasons for overeating or unhealthy eating styles. Shifting to an active lifestyle can help you maintain a balanced calorie usage as well as a body that demands healthy food.
Similarly, your sleep cycle can directly affect your appetite and metabolism, thus sleeping well is one of the primary criteria for achieving a healthy diet.
Shift to Home-Cooked Food
Changing your eating habits can start with making conscious changes to what you are eating. Switching to home-cooked food is not only a healthier option but also a budget-friendly option. This has long-term effects on your lifestyle. It not only helps us to control our calorie intake and keeps us away from all the unwanted added fat & nutrients, but also gives us full authority over meal selection and having variations in our meals.
Eating Out Can Also Be Healthy
In today’s busy schedule it is hard for us to cook all our meals at home, which in turn leads us to dine out or order in. And then it becomes a habit. Does that mean we have to compromise on eating healthy food? Surprisingly the answer is Yes, We Can.
Eating out doesn’t always have to be unhealthy and heavy. Opting to go for healthier home-like food providers instead of your favorite fast food joints and stalls can save your day. There are a lot of healthy food joints and fusion kitchens, providing healthy, home-like food with no compromise in taste.
Healthy Eating is a lifestyle choice that can’t be enforced in our daily lives but can be adopted comfortably and willingly. Sudden drastic changes & enforcements can make it even more difficult for your body to adapt to new habits. Thus taking it slowly and steadily can increase your body’s ability to adapt to healthy changes and shift to new and better lifestyle choices.
As a first step towards a healthier tomorrow, start exploring healthy and home-like food joints and kitchens around you. Home’s Kitchen can be your savior and a permanent reliable option for all your healthy and tasty meal requirements. Here at Home’s Kitchen, we believe in our three H ideology – Healthy, Hygienic & Homely food that is not only mouth-watering but healthy too.