After Thanksgiving, I woke up sluggish and feeling out of shape. I used to run 12 miles a day, but it has been a long time since I have done that. It has been at least 4 years since I ran that many miles. Yesterday, I looked at myself in the mirror and did not see the athletic body that I once had. I guess you can say that I have a dad bod. However, I do not like the feeling of my body jiggling when I brush my teeth or when I walk around throughout the day. Thus, I decided to make a change and talk about the simple lifestyle changes I am going to make today to get my healthy habits back on track. Some of these simple lifestyle changes include healthy eating that consists of healthy foods, healthy fats, a balanced diet with whole grains, leafy green vegetables, and other foods that can help with essential amino acids and key nutrients.
What Healthy Foods Should I start Eating?
Brown Rice
This one may be a bit surprising to you, but brown rice is packed with protein. One cup of cooked brown rice has 4 grams of protein in it. I will be adding this to my diet as part of my healthy eating habits that I am trying to get back into the swing of things. Moreover, all natural forms of rice are gluten free, which is good for those who are sensitive or allergic to gluten.
Sweet Potatoes
I like to eat these without any type of extra toppings or foods on top. I will be eating brown rice and sweet potatoes as part of my healthy diet that is full of whole grains, leafy green vegetables, fruits, healthy fats (nuts/seeds), and other foods that can help with essential amino acids and key nutrients. What I love to do is cover the sweet potato with extra virgin olive oil to get some saturated fat and then wrap it in tin foil. I then place it in the oven at 425 degrees for 45 minutes. You can then season it with salt and pepper if you like, but I normally do not do that.
Red Meat
I like to make sure I get in about 50-75 grams of protein in each day. Red meat can be a good way for me to reach the goal of getting my daily dose in. Lately, I have been busy with work and haven't had much time to prepare any lean cuts of meat, but that is something that I will be trying to incorporate into my new healthy eating habits. Organic red meat has a lot of vitamins and minerals in it and can help with the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy throughout the day. Moreover, since I am trying to burn fat while trying to put on muscle, it is a good to eat meat. The meat helps with building muscles and bones. Furthermore, the meat provides vitamin b12 and zinc, which help with red blood cell health and the immune system.
Lean Meats
Lean meats are a great way to get healthy fats in your diet. Thus, I will be making sure that my diet is not missing any essential fatty acids and nutrients that can keep me feeling energized throughout the day. When I was some what fasting in my early 20s to get ripped, I would eat a lot of lean meat because I wanted a very low fat diet. I cut out all saturated fat, but I couldn't do away with eating some kind of meat.
Wild Caught Salmon
Salmon is one of my favorite foods to eat because of how delicious it tastes. I like to only eat the wild caught kind of salmon because it does not contain as much mercury as farm raised foods tend to have. Salmon is classified as a fatty fish and oily fish, but don't be afraid to start incorporating this healthy food into your diet. Wild caught salmon can help with essential amino acids and protein. Moreover, it helps with bone health, red blood cell health, immunity, vitamin b12 and vitamin d3.
I normally will grill the salmon in tin foil with extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil. You can also season it to your taste buds liking in terms of sea salt/black pepper/garlic powder which I normally do in my diet. Most often times you have to grill or bake the salmon for 15-20 minutes depending on how thick it is. When you are cooking your wild caught salmon, make sure it is completely thawed before cooking. I normally will heat up my oven to 400 degrees and then cook the salmon in tin foil with some extra virgin olive oil during the last 10 minutes.
Steamed Vegetables
These types of vegetables is a good choice in creating a healthy eating plan. You can steam almost any vegetable, but some of the best choices are broccoli, carrots, peas, corn, green beans and cauliflower. Steam vegetables instead of frying or serving them raw. Vegetables are full of dietary fiber that is good for your digestive system. It also allows other nutrients to be absorbed, which can boost your immune system, which is good for your overall health.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables are good to eat because they help with healthy cell development. The vegetables are fat free, gluten free, and help with losing weight and lower the risk of heart disease. Some of these cruciferous vegetables include Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Radishes, Cauliflower, Turnips, and Cabbage. These vegetables are also an essential part of healthy immune system. What is great about these types of vegetables is that they also include other leafy greens, such as Kale
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are good to eat everyday because they are full of essential fatty acids, protein, vitamin E and fiber. Moreover, these foods contain unsaturated fats that can help lower your cholesterol/bad cholesterol levels. Some nuts that I like to consume regularly are almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans or any other nut that is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Some of seeds that have omega 3 fatty acids include Flaxseeds, Chia Seeds, and walnuts.
Flax seeds are an easy way to eat healthy on the go. I buy them in bulk because they are so cheap that it helps me save money on my food budget. You can basically put them on anything you are eating. For example, you can put ground flax seeds in your smoothie, cereal, yogurt or oatmeal.
What are the Health Benefits of Taking Supplements
Along with eating healthy foods, a good way to make a healthy lifestyle change is to incorporate supplements, such as vitamins and minerals into your balanced diet. When you are looking to make a change, be sure to follow the right dosage for supplements because too much of something isn't always good. You can consult with your doctor or registered dietitian to find out what type of dosage is best for you.
One thing that I like to take as part of my multivitamin everyday is Vitamin D3. Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps to strengthen your bones, muscles, teeth and immune system. It also helps with cell growth and brain development. I usually take the Healthy Origins Vitamin D3 because it is easy for me to swallow one pill everyday.
Vitamin C is another supplement that I like to take because it helps with my immune system. Some studies suggests that Vitamin C, along with Vitamin E, can have significant reduction in lowering heart disease risk and lower the risk of developing heart disease.. Healthy Origins has a great tasting chewable Vitamin C supplement.
The Bottom Line
The way we live our life is an important factor in determining how healthy and happy we are. Healthy eating, exercise, sleep and managing stress can all be used to increase your quality of health now. If you're feeling like it's not worth the effort or that you don't have time for yourself, then these small changes may help motivate you to take better care of yourself. The three simple lifestyle changes listed above should give you some ideas on where to start making positive change today!
FAQ
How do you define healthy?
It depends on the person. Besides what you're eating and exercising, how do you feel? Your diet and exercise routine can contribute to your mental health, but so can sleep patterns and social interactions. Are you feeling good about your inside self as well as your outside? That's a great start for establishing a healthy lifestyle and start to eat healthy foods. We all define "healthy" in different ways at different times because we change over the course of life's journey from infancy to old age--and generally many things must be considered before settling on one definition that fits everyone. For example, some might argue that one is healthy if they can lower their heart disease, or lose weight. Others might argue that being healthy is lowering any risk of chronic disease or eating fewer calories during dinner. Others might want to eat nutritious foods that are fat free or foods that have healthy oils like oily fish. Others might want to try a diet that has no saturated fats, or eat fresh fruit.
What are synonyms for healthy?
Synonyms for the word "healthy" are abundant. Some of the most common words that could be used to replace it include, whole, hale, well-being, wholesome (which means healthy and morally good at the same time), fit, thriving (which means well), cool, or dynamic. If you want to translate into Latin then sanus would probably work best. Research shows there is no single synonym with which one can substitute for "healthy." Synonyms don't fully capture all of its many facets; they often mean well but not entirely nor exclusively.
What are examples of lifestyle changes?
Examples of lifestyle changes are the following: take care of your body by exercising at least three hours a week, eat nutritious and varied foods, such as leafy greens or sweet potatoes, so that your body and mind both get what they need, quit smoking or using too much alcohol, and reduce stress in general to eliminate risk factors. The more we go about our daily lives stressed out and feeling under pressure, the more we accumulate — mentally — without realizing it. It is unnecessary to use tools such as meditation or yoga just to spend time improving oneself; elements such as exercise can serve just as well in terms of achieving this goal. We all have that one hobby which is especially relaxing for us; finding it is worth the effort!
Other individuals have a lifestyle change by changing their eating habits. For example, some want to have weight loss success and will cut out a certain food group that they do not feel is healthy for them. An example of this is cutting out any trans fats that they might intake in their diet and replace it with a good diet quality. One lifestyle change that individuals make is changing their artificial sweetener in their coffee to a coffee that is naturally sweet. Another change in editing habits for an individual is introducing foods that give complete protein and other key nutrients into their diet. For example, introducing kidney beans and tasty grain for nutritional value good because both protein and carbohydrates help reduce belly fat and help with weight loss.
individuals can also introduce lentils and rice which contain fresh veggies and whole grains into their healthy diet while avoiding fatty acids. One lifestyle change is eating the right amount of healthy fats and fiber with a good carbohydrate diet. Another change that one might make is incorporating more exercise into their daily routine. For example, if you normally take one hour to exercise everyday then try to schedule exercising for two hours everyday. This lifestyle change can be difficult to maintain, but it is possible if you make a schedule and stick to it.
What foods should I avoid?
You should try to avoid processed foods because they contain unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt, especially if you're looking for weight loss diets. You should also try to avoid sugary drinks like soda and sports drinks. These items can be replaced with healthier alternatives that still give you the same nutrition and flavor. For example, instead of drinking soda try drinking unsweetened seltzer water, or adding a splash of 100 percent fruit juice to your seltzer water.
monounsaturated fats are healthy, but should be used in moderated dosages. For instance, olive oil is monounsaturated fats that can be used on a salad or other food groups. Monounsaturated fats are healthy fats and can be used on various other food groups or food types. For example, I like to use avocado oil when I make bread and use wheat flour or other refined grains to avoid bad fatty acids like saturated fats. You should also avoid eating fatty meats like bacon and sausage, and try to limit your intake of cheese. These foods are high in unhealthy saturated fats that can raise your cholesterol levels and increase your risk for heart disease.
What causes change in lifestyle?
There are different reasons for an individual to change his or her lifestyle. Some of these reasons can be either internal and external. For example, an internal change can come from someone who has heart disease, excessive weight gain, high or low blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, wants to maintain healthy weight by eating nutritious foods, high or low blood sugar levels, or wants to lower cholesterol intake. Whereas external changes may come from things like wanting to save money on groceries, join a gym, or have more time for leisure activities. Social pressure may also be a reason for an individual to make a change in lifestyle; for example, friends or family members who are physically active and eat healthy. The important thing is that the change is positive, and the individual is doing it for themselves, not anyone else.
What is the healthiest thing to eat every day?
Dark green leafy vegetables are an excellent choice because they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber and have essential nutritional value. Important vitamins include Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin K1 and carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein. Minerals such as calcium potassium and sodium all contribute to overall health. Antioxidants are cancer fighting properties because they help to reduce inflammation in the body since inflammation can often cause pain that is associated with various diseases of the body including cancer and other chronic conditions. Fiber helps our bodies regulate blood sugar levels which stabilizes hormone production within our bodies and ensures we do not experience diabetes or diabetic related illnesses such as a high risk of heart disease, kidney disease or other cardiovascular disease.
What are the 15 most healthiest foods?
- Salmon
- Avocados are rich in vitamins, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and B6. They are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids. They can also help with reducing cardiovascular disease.
- Artichokes
- Groundnuts (peanuts)
- Broccoli
- Nuts and seeds (high in omega 3 fatty acids)
- "Natural" peanut butter - with just peanuts and salt, not sugar or palm oil disguised as "natural."
- "Cage Free" eggs if you're eating an egg. If you eat a lot of animal products, buying "cage free" is certainly better than factory farmed. However, there are lots of other things to work on your diet before deciding whether or not this really matters to you or not. When it comes to cholesterol levels, for instance, if the cholesterol is coming from animal products, I recommend cutting back there first.
- Spinach has a lot of health benefits associated with it. For example, it is packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K!, and other minerals like Iron and Calcium.
- Sardines
- Whole grain bread, pasta, rice - choose whole grain whenever possible. Try to avoid "Enriched" or "Fortified" grains because they are really just the white flour again. Also be wary of things that say "multi-grain" because that usually means a mix of whole grains and refined grains.
- Water - Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, throughout the day to stay hydrated.
- Tea - Green tea is a great choice, especially if you're trying to cut back on coffee.
- Beans - Black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), lentils, and split peas are all great choices.
- Fruits -Blueberries, Blackberries, or Berries in general are a good choice because they're high in antioxidants. Plums and apricots are great because of their health benefits of providing high vitamin A and Vitamin C and they are fat free.
What is a good diet plan?
The best diet plan for someone is the one that they will actually follow. As such, if you want to lose weight and don't like vegetables as a dish, eating veggies as a side dish may give you neural cues as to what's delicious about them, and it'll help train your taste buds so that your favorite dishes also involve some veggie action. Rethink healthy food: If we're going on a diet and expect to stay on it for more than six months at most, we need to rethink "healthy" food. You have to know what food can have the best health benefits by adding nutritional value to your eating habits. You might be eating a healthy diet now, but you're not getting the most out of your food by combining them with other foods. Meal planning: Planning your meals ahead of time is an excellent way to make sure you have all the ingredients on hand to cook a healthy meal, and it can help you avoid temptation by knowing what's for dinner.
How can I start eating healthy?
You have to have a goal. For some people, this might be weight loss, for others it may be to lower blood pressure or lowering the risk of heart disease, for others it may just be taste preference - but you can't start eating healthy without asking "why" first. Just in order to "eat healthy," you need to ask yourself why that is your goal - do you want less stomach issues or are you looking to live longer? Next thing on the agenda is finding out what kind of diet will help achieve that goal - veganism? south beach diet? paleo? Once these two things are figured out, anyone can make certain changes get on the path towards never-ending good health. But shaking things up gradually and consistently is more sustainable than