Fortuitous Fruit: 4 Step Guide to Eating Healthy and Feeling Full

Eating healthy is one of the most important things that you can do for your body and your mind. A healthy lifestyle lowers your risk for life-threatening conditions, such as obesity, strokes, diabetes, and heart disease. Eating healthy may seem hard to do, but it is actually easier than you think.

1. Drink Enough Water

Cut the amount of calories you consume by choosing water over sugary drinks. Not only are you cutting down on your sugar consumption, but you're also drinking water that your body needs. Though it is commonly recommended to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, that might be excessive. Drink until you are no longer thirsty, and don’t use sugary sodas or juices to quench that thirst, and you should be good. Drinking the right amount of water can help with problems like acne, kidney stones, headaches, and constipation.

2. Consume Less Salt and Sugar

You should avoid consuming excessive amounts of salt and sugar. Men and women should consume no more than 9 and 6 teaspoons of sugar, respectively, and no more than 1 teaspoon of salt daily. Instead of consuming sugary cereals, you can buy plain cereal and add different types of fruits to naturally sweeten it. Instead of adding salt to your eggs, sprinkle some dried herbs over them to give them some extra flavor.

3. Lower Your Saturated Fat Intake

An easy way to lower your saturated fat consumption is by switching to low-fat or fat-free milk. Both regular milk and low-fat or fat-free milk contain the same amount of nutrients, but regular milk contains more saturated fat and calories. Try to eat more foods with unsaturated fats, such as avocados, peanut butter, vegetable oils, and seeds. A tasty lunch idea is whole wheat toast with an avocado spread.

4. Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables

The USDA recommends around 5 portions of fruits and vegetables every day. Instead of cake, pie, or ice cream, try fruit as dessert, and add more vegetables to your dishes. Plan recipes around well portioned, vegetable and fruit laden dishes. Then, when you go to the grocery store, don’t impulse buy donuts and cookies instead of your ingredients for your meal plan. Many services, like Healthy Chef Florida, can help you make a personalized meal plan with your health goals in mind.

Combining healthy eating and physical activity will help you reduce the risk of developing life threatening diseases and will boost your mental health. You can still enjoy your favorite foods and snacks, as long as you do so in moderation. Don't treat these changes like a chore; make them easy by having fun.