In the cacophony of voices advocating for optimal health and wellness, navigating the realm of nutrition tips can feel like traversing a labyrinth of conflicting advice. From medical professionals to fitness trainers, everyone seems to have their own prescription for the perfect diet. Yet, amidst this sea of information, contradictions abound, leaving individuals bewildered about what truly constitutes a healthy eating regimen. Compounding the confusion are the countless products marketed as nutritious and wholesome, despite harboring hidden pitfalls detrimental to well-being. In this article, we embark on a journey to unravel the complexities of nutrition tips, offering clarity amidst the chaos and empowering readers to make informed choices for a nourished and vibrant life.
It’s a common issue for anyone interested in health and wellness, and it can be tough to weed out the good advice from the bad. We decided to put together a list of solid nutrition behaviors that will keep you on the right path, no matter what fad product or diet tempts you.
This article covers the real basics of proper nutrition while leaving out the voodoo weight loss secrets of your favorite celebs. If you’re tired of all the conflicting advice, these 15 actionable nutrition tips will help you look better, feel better, and have more energy. What more could you want?
15 Nutrition Behaviors Everyone Should Follow
1. Don’t Overeat
Yeah, this one should be common sense, but we’re covering the basics here. Over the past few decades, Americans have increased their calorie intake by as much as 800 calories each day. And, many of us aren’t getting enough exercise to burn off those calories. If you’re interested in losing weight or getting fit, simply eating less is an excellent place to start. Stop eating when you are satisfied, but before you’re stuffed.
2. Don’t Eat in Front of the TV
Eat dinner at the table with your family and savor your food, without the TV distracting you. Families who dine together are happier, healthier, and more productive.
3. Supplements Compliment a Healthy Diet
You can’t skip breakfast, eat a fast-food lunch, hit the bar for drinks with your friends, and then pop a supplement before bed to meet your nutritional needs. Supplements complement a healthy and diet and fill in the nutritional gaps, but they don’t make up for a poor diet. Eat a well-balanced diet and choose a custom vitamin pack to ensure that all your nutritional needs are met.
4. Don’t Add Sugar
Most of us have way too much sugar in our diets. Instead of adding sugar to sweeten your beverages, choose a healthy alternative sweetener, like natural, organic stevia.
5. Dessert is Ok… Sometimes
It’s ok to have dessert sometimes, but don’t include it every evening after dinner. Save it for a special occasion and make sure it’s worth it. For example, choose real ice cream, not the fat-free, sugar-free, flavorless kind. Small portions of dessert once in a while won’t kill your diet as long as your eating healthy the rest of the time.
6. Choose Healthier Carbs
Most of your carbs should be coming from fruits and vegetables, not grains. Veggies and fruit provide tons of nutrients along with the carbs. We promise you’ll notice the difference once you make the switch.
7. Fruit and Veggies Should be the Base of Every Meal
When you bump up your intake of produce, you’ll cut down your calorie intake and up your nutrition and healthy carbs. Making a stir-fry? Include more veggies and less rice and meat. Want oatmeal and berries? Fill the bowl with berries first and top it off with oatmeal. It’s one of the simple and tasty nutrition tips to up your nutrition game. Focus on eating a variety of fruits and veggies, with an emphasis on berries and leafy greens.
8. Eat Before You’re Starving
You don’t have to drop everything and eat six times a day, but you should eat before you’re starving. Eating small, consistent meals will keep you from becoming so hungry that you make bad choices, like grabbing fast food at lunchtime.
9. Have a Plan
This goes hand in hand with number eight. Plan ahead and bring healthy food with you to work. Plan out your grocery shopping, so you have plenty of healthy options for dinner and over the weekends. Planning ahead is the only way to succeed at eating healthy.
10. Eat Beans
Beans are high in fiber, healthy carbs, and protein. They also contain a good dose of vitamins and minerals. Aim for at least one serving every day .
11. Don’t Drink Extra Calories
Drink water, not juice, soda, sweet tea, or energy drinks. Replace these calorie-dense drinks with water could save you as much as 450 calories or more each day. That could lead to 50 pounds of weight loss in a year.
12. Include Protein in Every Meal and Snack
Protein provides essential amino acids and helps you feel full longer. It can’t be stored in the body, either, so small, frequent servings are important.
13. Avoid Anything That Doesn’t Make Sense
Fad diets and products come out on the regular, and they all promise miracles. If something doesn’t make sense, or there’s no evidence to back it up, it’s probably too good to be true. There’s no miracle food or potion out there. If it doesn’t make sense, just don’t do it.
14. Start Your Day with a Glass of Water
Your body is in a state of dehydration when you wake up because you haven’t had any water for at least seven hours. Before you put anything else in your body, drink a glass of water. You’ll be surprised at how much better you feel.
15. Drink Water Before Every Meal
A study conducted by Dr. Brenda Davy showed that people who drink just two cups of water before each meal lose weight and eat less. Drinking water before each meal fills you up and improves digestion.
The key to better health and wellness is to take action! Get started with these fifteen actionable strategies, and then add in other things as they make sense to you. These easy to follow nutrition tips will get you well on your way to looking better, feeling better, and having more energy.
