What is healthy eating?
Healthy eating is about consuming a diet of mainly unprocessed, natural (whole) foods. This includes fruits, veggies, proteins, grains, dairy and all the healthy nutrients and vitamins our bodies use to function properly. That's the key: our bodies are fueled by food. Cleaner eating is about making sure our bodies have everything they need to work as they are built to.
Macronutrients are required in higher amounts in the food you eat, including carbohydrates, fats and protein. Micronutrients, required in relatively smaller amounts, include vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (often found in plants).
Of course, understanding your food sensitivities has a big impact on what you eat and how you get these nutrients. This is where food sensitivity and allergy testing can have a really important role to play in your overall health.
Meal planning for healthy habits
Meal planning is great for building healthier food habits and your for your wallet.
We all hate those "what do i eat?" moments that come up in the work week. Meal planning is a great way to eliminate those moments, giving you more control over what you eat and reduce spur-of-the-moment food choices.
Easy ways to upgrade your eating habits
A common misconception about eating healthy is that you have to give up all processed foods, sugars, and carbs and that you can only eat fruits and veggies. On the contrary, healthy eating for life is often more about finding a balance between giving your body the food it needs and enjoying the food you eat.
Some easy ways to make your eating habits more healthy are:
-
adding more veggies to your go-to recipes (especially green veggies)
-
drinking more water
-
swapping white pasta and bread for whole grain
-
cooking more at home instead of eating out
-
watching the portions of food you consume
-
limiting sugary treats and take out to 1 or 2 days a week
A rule I like to talk about is the 80:20 ratio: 80% of your meals should be health-focused with 20% being more for you. Eating cake isn't bad. Eating cake every day for dinner isn't so great. So it's that balance we seek.
