10 Tips to Healthy Eating

Mabuhay!

I'll admit to you that the thought of dieting (read: starving myself) or taking diet pills sometimes enters my mind. It happens whenever I eat sweet spaghetti... with beef... and mushrooms... and lots of cheese... I had seconds... and thirds... I want Mochi mango ice cream... @.@

You get the picture.

I panic and my thought bubble reads: "F*ck."
I then have conversations with myself on what's the fastest way to shed the pounds and the answers are bad. You don't want to know. Tao lang po.
Then, I'm immediately reminded by the horrors of my previous "dieting" — mood swings! Haay!

As a busy working woman, wife, and mother, I have to be at my best mood to function. Mood swings are a no-no.

Once I've calmed down, "evil" thoughts slip away. Thank God for support groups. This morning, I received another email from a friend and it's exactly what I needed after eating Sabrett hotdog yesterday... while doing the grocery... and licking off every piece of morsel from my napkin... I love catsup... and brown spicy mustard... I want to eat Mochi mango ice cream... @.@:


10 tips to healthy eating

1. Eat a Variety of Foods

You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health and no single food can supply them all. Today's food supply makes it easy to eat a wide variety of foods whether or not you are buying fresh foods to cook, taking advantage of ready-prepared dishes and meals or buying "take-away" foods. Balance your choice over time! If you have a high-fat lunch, have a low-fat dinner. If you eat a large serving of meat at dinner one day, perhaps choose fish the next day.

Pasta Primavera = Wheat pasta + Veggies

  
2. Base your diet on plenty of foods rich in carbohydrates

Most people do not eat enough of foods such as bread, pasta, rice, other cereals and potatoes. More than half the calories in your diet should come from these foods. Try wholegrain bread, pasta and other wholegrain cereals, too, to increase your fiber intake.

3. Enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables

Most of us do not eat enough of these foods either although they provide important protective nutrients. Try to eat at least five servings a day and if you do not enjoy them at first - try some new recipes or see what ready prepared dishes are available in the supermarket.

4. Maintain a healthy body weight and feel good

The weight that is right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Being overweight increases your risk of a wide range of diseases including heart disease and cancer. Excess body fat results when you eat more calories than you need. These extra calories can come from any caloric nutrient - protein, fat, carbohydrate or alcohol- but fat is the most concentrated source of calories. Physical activity is a good way of increasing the energy (calories) you expend each day and it can make you feel good. The message is simple: if you are gaining weight, you need to eat less and be more active.

LOL

Source

5. Eat moderate portions - reduce, don't eliminate foods

If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat all the foods you enjoy without having to eliminate any. For example, some reasonable serving sizes are: 100g of meat; one medium piece of fruit, half a cup of raw pasta and 50ml of ice-cream. Ready-prepared meals can offer a handy means of portion control and they often have the calorie values on the pack to help those who are counting. If you are eating out, you could share a portion with a friend.

One of my favorite healthy snacks: Finn Caraway Crackers and flavored hummus

6. Eat regularly

Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in helpless overeating. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much as to substitute for proper meals. Don't forget to count your snacks as part of your total calorie intake.

7. Drink plenty of fluids

Adults need to drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid a day! Or more if it's very hot or they are physically active. Plain tap water is obviously a good source of liquid but variety can be both pleasant and healthy. Alternative choices are juices, soft drinks, tea, coffee, milk etc.

8. Get on the move

As we have seen, too many calories and not enough activity can result in weight gain. Moderately physical activity helps burn off those extra calories. It is also good for the heart and circulatory system and for general health and well-being. So, make physical activity part of your daily routine. Use the stairs instead of the liftelevator (up and down!). Go for a walk in your lunch break. You don't have to be an athlete to get on the move!

9. Start now! - and make changes gradually

Gradual changes in your lifestyle are much easier to make than major changes all at once. For three days, write down the foods and drinks you consume at meals and as snacks - Do you have too few fruits andor portions of vegetables? To start with, try to eat just one extra piece of fruit and vegetables a day. Are your favourite foods high in fat and making you gain weight? Don't eliminate those foods and feel miserable, but try to choose low fat options or eat smaller portions. And start using the stairs at work!

10. Remember, it is all about balance

There are no 'good' or 'bad' foods, only good or bad diets. Don't feel guilty about the foods you love, rather eat them in moderation and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

In a nutshell:

• Eat a variety of foods
• Base your diet on plenty of foods rich in carbohydrates
• Enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Maintain a healthy body weight and feel good
• Eat moderate portions - reduce, don't eliminate foods
• Eat regularly
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Get on the move
• Start now! - and make changes gradually
• Remember, it is all about balance 

Grab this photo and use it as your daily guide to portion control:

Shoppingero/shoppingera, how many of the healthy tips above do you follow?

Baby steps to healthy living

Mabuhay!

Here's another email I received from a friend. I hope it inspires all of us:

You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn't smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn't it?
The trick to healthy living is making small changes... taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water... these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.

My peg: Audrey Hepburn
That's it! I'm trading my mountain bike for a vintage-inspired bicycle!

Exercise

One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it's good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we're used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you'll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.
Just adding a little movement to your life can:

• Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
• Improve joint stability
• Increase and improve range of movement
• Help maintain flexibility as you age
• Maintain bone mass
• Prevent osteoporosis and fractures
• Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Enhance self esteem
• Improve memory in elderly people
• Reduce stress

So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.

Simple Ways to Move Your Body

You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

My husband has maintained his weight/body since he was in his 20's. He attributes it to a lot of walking, surfing, biking, and eating healthy. He inspires me!

• Turn off the TV. Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk... almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.
• Walk more. Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.
• Do some chores. Working in the garden, sweeping the floor... these kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.
• Pace while you talk. When you're on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.
• Be aware. Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc.

Eating Well

Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older.

Small changes + Small portions = Big results!
I can still enjoy my favorite binagoongan dish, but instead of cooking it with meat, I use crispy tofu cubes and steamed sitaw with brown rice. I also go easy on the bagoong.

• Eat more fruits. Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your dinners
• Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can--a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.
• Switch your salad dressing. If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you'll automatically eat less calories.
• Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet.
• Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you're at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items.

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean drastic changes. In fact, drastic changes almost always lead to failure. Making small changes in how you live each day can lead to big rewards, so figure out what you can to be healthy today.

The rewards of being healthy for me is that I get to see my kids grow-up,  grow old with Tom, and feel absolutely fantastic!

If you agree, please reblog.

Note: Kindly reblog the text only and not the photos of my family. I suggest that you use your family's photos instead for inspiration. Thank you!


Shoppingero/shoppingera, remember: Keep it simple. Keep it healthy. Keep moving! 


Sources:
Fentem, P H. ABC of Sports Medicine: Benefits of exercise in health and disease. BMJ 1994;308:1291-1295 (14 May)