“I am going to get in shape this year.” For many people this means going to the gym or starting a new workout routine at home, but getting in shape is not just about working out. Nutrition and eating right has a greater impact on your overall health and weight loss goals than exercise.
One of the easiest changes you can make in the New Year is improving your diet by incorporating better food choices. A healthy diet is crucial for your overall physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. A balanced diet can help you live a happier, healthier, and longer life.
Benefits of a Healthy Diet
- Controls weight
- Increased immunity
- Fights disease
- Improved mood and sense of well-being
- Improved your sleep
- Increased energy
Making big changes to your diet can be hard, but making small changes can be easy and can have a tremendous and lasting impact. Start with a few small changes. Once you consistently incorporate these changes you can add a few more small changes. If you introduce small changes little by little, over time you will be eating a healthy, well-balanced diet.
To start:
- Don’t let yourself become hungry
To keep your body functioning at its best, eat regular meals throughout the day. Keep healthy snacks readily available for when you start to feel tired, sleepy, or hungry between meals. If you skip a meal your metabolism slows down, which can cause you to feel sleepy and can make it harder to lose weight. When you skip a meal or go a long period of time without eating your body craves food. You can end up overeating unhealthy, fattening foods trying to fill those cravings.
- Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables
Dedicate half of your plate to fruits and vegetables. This will help reduce the amount of space for other foods, and will increase the amounts of vitamins and nutrients you consume. Most people Americans do not consume enough fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. Vegetables are low in fat and calories and contain no cholesterol. They are an important source of potassium, fiber, folic acid, and vitamins A and C. Fiber from vegetables helps reduce cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease as well as constipation and diverticulosis. Foods rich in potassium such as sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beet greens, soy beans and spinach help maintain a healthy blood pressure. Vitamins A and C keep your immune system running at its best to help fight infections, and keeps your eyes and skin healthy, helps heals cuts and wounds, and keeps your teeth and gums healthy. Fruits and vegetables help fight off certain cancers, keep your digestion functioning properly and improve your metabolism.
- Stay hydrated
Drink low calories drinks with minimal or zero added sweeteners. Water is life. Water contains zero calories. It helps keep your skin plump, hydrates your muscles and helps fight hunger. Keep a bottle of water with you throughout the day. To spice it up a bit try adding slices of lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber to your water. We can sometimes confuse thirst with hunger so, if you are hungry try drinking some water.
- Reduce extra fats
Instead of frying your meat, try baking, grilling or broiling it. Avoid butter, sour cream and salad dressing. Instead try using a really good balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil on your breads and salads. On a potato try using some herbs and spices or a little bit of Greek yogurt on your baked potato. Many nutritionists recommend eating avocados because they contain healthy fats. We recommend avoiding avocados because a little avocado goes a long way and most of us cannot eat just a little guacamole or just a little avocado. Instead eat high quality fish 1-3 times a week.
When we decide to make changes to our life, we all have great intentions but no one can be perfect 100% of the time. If you have a day when you cave to your cravings and eat that pizza, shake it off and start again tomorrow. Don’t get frustrated. Give up the willpower diet. Don’t let one unhealthy meal get you down. Instead focus on the positive changes you are making. Keep at it and soon you will be enjoying all the benefits a healthy diet provides.
For more help with health and nutrition schedule an appointment with the professionals at the Anti-Aging and Wellness Clinic, the most experienced anti-aging clinic in Central America.
Services at the Anti-Aging and Wellness Clinic include:
- Weight loss and nutritional counseling
- Food Intolerance testing
- Human growth hormone
- Bio-identical hormone replacement
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy
- P-Shot PRP procedure
- Facial rejuvenation
- Chelation therapy
- Comprehensive blood panels
- Telomere testing
- Cancer testing
Using innovation, the most advanced treatment options and cutting-edge science, the Anti-Aging and Wellness Clinic will help you develop a customized health program that will enable you to achieve your peak physical and mental performance. We want to empower you to take charge of your health. Contact us today to learn more.
