Milly Gaines
Changing your diet can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be an overnight revolution. Small, incremental changes can make a big difference and are easier to stick to. For example, you could start by adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, aiming for the recommended 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day. You could also try swapping sugary drinks for water, which can help with weight loss and reduce your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. If you're looking to lose weight, combining a healthier diet with an exercise plan will help you reach your goals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fruits and vegetables | Should fill half the plate at every meal |
| Daily goal | 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of veggies |
| Healthy fats | Plant-based foods like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados |
| Water | 6-8 glasses a day |
| Fiber-rich foods | Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans |
| Starchy carbohydrates | Should make up just over a third of the food you eat |
| Calorie intake | Men: 2,500 calories, Women: 2,000 calories |
| Portion sizes | Eating from a small plate can make it look bigger |
| Exercise | 30 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise each day |
| Sleep | Adequate amounts of good-quality sleep |
| Weight loss | 0.5-1 kg per week is a sensible aim |
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What You'll Learn
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to improve your health and energy levels. Vitamins, minerals, and fiber are abundant in fruits and vegetables, which are essential for maintaining a healthy body. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal is an easy way to ensure you are getting enough. This equates to 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day.
To achieve this, you can start by adding fruits and vegetables to your meals and snacks. For breakfast, top your oatmeal with sliced fruit like peaches, apples, or pears, or add berries, cherries, or pineapple to plain yogurt. You can also add fruit to whole-grain cereal, such as sliced bananas, raisins, or dried cranberries. If you're in a rush, grab a piece of whole fruit like a banana, apple, or orange, or prepare a smoothie with Greek yogurt, plant milk, and frozen fruits.
For lunch and dinner, include a variety of colorful vegetables. You can add diced zucchini to pasta sauce, toss onions or leafy greens like spinach into rice or grains, or add chopped veggies to meatloaf or pasta sauce. If you're eating out, opt for colorful vegetable sides or salads. Preparing and cutting raw veggies like bell peppers, celery, carrots, and broccoli ahead of time makes them easily accessible when you're hungry. You can also pair them with a healthy dip like hummus.
In addition to fresh produce, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are nutritious and budget-friendly options. When choosing canned or frozen products, look for those with low sodium and no added sugar. For example, you can add frozen spinach to pasta, stir corn into a chili, or scatter pineapple over pizza.
By incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet, you'll not only improve your health but also increase your energy levels and reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
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Drink water instead of sugary drinks
Drinking water is essential for your health. Every cell in your body needs water to function properly. Water is a healthy, low-calorie drink that can prevent dehydration and help you maintain a healthy weight. Drinking water instead of sugary drinks can reduce your body weight and improve your blood pressure and fasting glucose.
Sugar-sweetened beverages are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet. These include soda, sweetened fruit juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened tea and coffee drinks. People who frequently consume sugary drinks are more likely to experience health problems such as weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cavities, and gout.
To increase your water intake, start and end your day with a tall glass of water. Keep a reusable water bottle with you during the day and aim for about six to eight glasses of water per day. If you want more flavour, add a slice of lemon or lime to your water, or try other additions such as cucumber, basil, or blackberry.
If you're craving a fizzy drink, add a splash of 100% juice to plain sparkling water for a refreshing, low-calorie alternative. When you're out, skip the flavoured syrups and whipped cream in your coffee, and opt for drinks with low-fat or fat-free milk, or unsweetened milk alternatives such as soy or almond milk. You can also choose unsweetened tea, which comes in many naturally caffeinated varieties that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
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Consume healthy fats
Consuming healthy fats is an important part of a balanced diet. Fats are a type of lipid, which are molecules that do not dissolve in water. When we talk about healthy fats, we are referring to lipids that remain liquid at room temperature due to the specific types of chemical bonds that hold them together. These healthy fats are known as unsaturated fats and include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, play a crucial role in brain function and skin and hair growth. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon, as well as chia seeds and certain plant-based foods like olive oil, nuts, and avocados, offer a wide range of health benefits. They have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, improve blood cholesterol levels, aid in blood sugar control, and reduce inflammation.
To incorporate more healthy fats into your diet, consider the following:
- Snack on nuts like almonds, walnuts, or macadamia nuts instead of reaching for chips or other processed snacks.
- Cook with olive oil or vegetable oils instead of butter, lard, or ghee.
- Top your sandwiches or salads with a slice of avocado.
- Include fatty fish like salmon in your meals at least twice a week.
- If you're not a fan of fish, consider taking a fish oil supplement like cod fish liver oil to get your dose of omega-3s.
- Start your day with a nutritious breakfast like oatmeal topped with nuts and chia seeds, providing you with healthy fats and fiber.
Remember, while consuming healthy fats is important, it's also crucial to pay attention to your overall fat intake. All types of fat are high in energy, so they should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
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Exercise regularly
Regular exercise is key to maintaining a healthy weight and reducing your risk of serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and stroke. It is also important for your overall health and well-being, and can have positive effects on your mental health.
When starting to exercise regularly, it is important to create a plan with attainable steps and goals. For example, if you are aiming to finish a 5-kilometre run, start by building a plan that includes shorter runs. Once you can finish those, increase the distance until you can run the whole 5 kilometres in one session. Starting with small, achievable goals will help keep you motivated. It is also important to build a routine that you enjoy and can maintain over the long term.
Before starting to exercise, it is important to warm up by raising your heart rate and targeting the specific body parts you will be using that day. For example, if you are exercising your lower body, you can start with aerobic exercises like leg kicks, half-squats and walking lunges. For your upper body, try arm circles and standing push-ups. Dynamic stretches are also a great way to warm up.
Cooling down after working out is also key, as it helps your body return to its normal state and restore breathing patterns. Light walking after aerobic exercise or static stretching after resistance training can help reduce muscle soreness and tightness.
It is also important to eat the right foods to boost your energy levels and maximize your workouts. Carbohydrates can help fuel your muscles before exercise, especially if it is high-intensity and lasts longer than 1 hour. Eating carbs after exercise can also help with absorption and muscle recovery. Protein also helps repair tissue damage and build muscle mass.
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Eat less saturated fat
Eating too much saturated fat can increase your risk of heart disease by raising your cholesterol levels. Men should consume no more than 30g of saturated fat per day, while women should not exceed 20g. To reduce your saturated fat intake, you can make some simple swaps:
- Choose leaner cuts of meat and trim any visible fat before cooking. Opt for chicken breast over chicken thigh, and back bacon over streaky bacon.
- Remove the skin from poultry before cooking, or choose skinless options.
- Swap whole milk for skimmed milk, and use low-fat yoghurt instead of sour cream.
- Use vegetable oils, such as olive oil, instead of butter, lard or ghee.
- Opt for lower-fat or reduced-fat dairy products, or choose dairy alternatives.
- Grill, bake, poach or steam your food instead of frying or roasting.
- Choose whole-grain and high-fibre foods, such as brown rice and whole-wheat pasta.
- Opt for tomato-based pasta sauces instead of creamy or cheese sauces.
- Compare food labels and choose products that are lower in saturated fat.
Remember, it's important to eat a balanced diet and ensure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs.
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