1. Eat diversely
No single food can provide all the 40+ nutrients we need for good health. A balanced diet over time is what matters, not one meal!
- Low-fat dinners could follow high-fat lunches.
- Fish the next day after a big meat dinner?
2. Eat lots of carb-rich foods.
Cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread should provide half our calories. Include one of these at every meal. Wholegrain bread, pasta, and cereals boost fiber intake.
- Switch to unsaturated fat.
Healthy fats are essential. Too much can harm our weight and heart health. These tips may help us balance the health effects of different fats:
- Read labels to limit total and saturated fats (often from animal products) and avoid trans fats.
- We should eat oily fish 2-3 times weekly to get enough unsaturated fats.
- Instead of frying, boiling, steaming, or bake meat, remove the fat, and use vegetable oils.
4. Eat lots of fruits and veggies.
For vitamins, minerals, and fiber, fruits and vegetables are essential. Eat five servings a day. A glass of fresh fruit juice at breakfast, an apple and watermelon as snacks, and a variety of vegetables at each meal.
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5. Cut salt and sugar.
High salt intake raises blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. Salt can be reduced in various ways:
- We could buy low-sodium products.
- Spices can replace salt in cooking, adding flavor.
- Avoid salt at the table or before tasting when eating.
Sugary foods and drinks are high in energy and should be eaten occasionally as a treat. We could use fruits instead, even to sweeten our foods and beverages.
6. Eat regularly, limit portions
Eating various foods regularly and in the right amounts is the best diet.
Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in helpless overeating. Snacking between meals can reduce appetite, but it should not replace meals. Yogurt, unsalted nuts, fresh or dried fruits or vegetables (like carrot sticks), or bread with cheese are good snacks.
Paying attention to portion size will help us consume only a few calories and allow us to eat all the foods we enjoy without having to eliminate any.
- Cooking enough prevents overeating.
- Some reasonable serving sizes are 100 g of meat, one medium piece of fruit, and half a cup of raw pasta.
- Using smaller plates helps with smaller servings.
- Calorie-marked packaged foods may help portion control.
- We could split a meal out.
7. Hydrate.
Adults must drink 1.5 liters daily! Or more if it’s scalding or they are physically active. Water is the best source, of course, and we can use tap or mineral water, sparkling or non-sparkling, plain or flavored. Fruit juices, tea, soft drinks, milk, and other drinks, can all be okay – from time to time.
8. Stay fit.
The right weight for each of us depends on gender, height, age, and genes. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Excess body fat comes from eating more than we need. The extra calories can come from any caloric nutrient – protein, fat, carbohydrate, or alcohol, but fat is the most concentrated energy source. Physical activity helps us spend energy and makes us feel good. The message is simple: if we gain weight, we need to eat less and be more active!
9. Get on the move; make it a habit!
Everyone should exercise. It helps us burn extra calories, is good for the heart and circulatory system, maintains or increases our muscle mass, helps us focus, and improves overall health and well-being. Moving doesn’t require elite athleticism! One hundred fifty minutes of moderate physical activity per week is recommended and easy to incorporate into our daily routine. We all could:
Use the stairs instead of the elevator, \ go for a walk during lunch breaks (and stretch in our offices in between) \ and make time for a family weekend activity.
10. Begin! And keep changing gradually.
Gradual lifestyle changes are easier to sustain. For three days, we could write down the foods and drinks we consume throughout the day and note the amount of movement we make. It won’t be difficult to spot where we could improve:
- Skipping breakfast? A small bowl of muesli, a piece of bread, or fruit, could help slowly introduce it into our routine
- Too little produce? Start with one extra piece per day.
- Favorite fatty foods? Eliminating them abruptly could fire back and make us return to the old habits. We can choose low-fat options instead, eat them less frequently, and in smaller portions.
- Underactive? First, take the stairs daily.
