Hi there, I’m just a simple girl trying to survive in a world full of food fads.
Are you dreaming of that perfect weight or that summer body you’ve been working on for years on end? Tired of conflicting research? We all know that our dream bodies won’t come easy if we don’t eat well, and that getting that summer body won’t actually take one month if we don’t balance our lifestyles. Unfortunately, when old tried-and-tested weight loss diets that promise amazing results in four weeks fail us, we end up frustrated, despairing and annoyed with ourselves for having wasted so much time and money on these diets, and ultimately feeling paralyzed at the thought of being stuck in the same situation.
So what are we really supposed to eat? What is the confusion all about? None of us want to fall into the trap of food fads over and over again. If we’re being real, it’s really all about a lifestyle change. Being healthy means eating food you really enjoy, exercising and establishing sustainable eating habits. I guess we all have different journeys. At the end of the day, I have reaslised that what is best for me is being mindful of what I put into my body, which is far more sustainable than counting calories or jumping into the next fashionable food fads.
In this How-To Master Eating in a world of Food Fads Infographic, you’ll get the insider information about how we can actively be more mindful of how we feed ourselves, what we put into our bodies, living our lives in healthy sustainable ways while taking full control of what we put into our bodies in a not so desperate manner.
In the article New mantra for better health in 2017 – Don’t Diet, Change Your Lifestyle Instead, Dr. Fatima Radhanpurwala, suggests several practices of How to Master Eating in a World of fads, including those listed below:
- Variety in Food: Our body needs all the nutrients like – carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals to develop and function properly. Thus, it is of importance to include food from all groups. When you choose a fad diet you are depriving your body from some nutrients, which in long run, may hamper your health.
- Controlled Portions: As mentioned above you need to eat variation but keep moderation in mind. Eat all meals in controlled portions. When eating out, either order a small meal or share your food with friends or family. That will help you cut down on calories.
- Eat Small Meals Frequently: Small and frequent meals with a gap of about 3 – 4 hours help keep your metabolism high, which results in good weight loss and good sugar control for diabetics. Rather consume foods like fruits, nuts, flaxseeds, multi-grain biscuits that are a handy snacks you can munch on in between meals.
- Colour Your Plate: Include all coloured vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants which help keep many diseases, including cancer, at bay. Fill half your plate with salads & vegetable and the other half with protein rich food like lean meat or diary products.
- Avoid Bad Fats: When it comes to fats, we need to be very cautious. You can include oils that are rich in unsaturated fats. Limit the saturated fats like ghee, coconut, etc. Avoid the Trans fat from fried foods, baked goods, pre-packed and processed foods.
- Check Out Your Kitchen and Refrigerator: We eat what we buy from the store and keep all the good and bad in our kitchen. So best thing is to checkout what unhealthy and healthy foods are in your kitchen. Make a list and just clean out all the unhealthy stuff and fill it up with healthy food. This will help you avoid the food craving too.
- Hydrate: The average human body is made up of around 70% of water. Well-hydrated bodies burn more calories. Thus, it essential to include an appropriate amount of water in your diet. You should include roughly two liters of water per day. Don’t replace water with fruit drinks or soda!
- Avoid Empty Calories: Avoid all sugars found in soda, fruity drinks and processed foods.
- Exercise: We say food is important for good health, but so is exercise. You should at least exercise 150 minutes per week. It can be divided into 30 minutes per day or 40 minutes three to four days a week.
- Stress buster: Stress is one of the reasons for the bad health. Try to relieve stress by using various methods like meditation, yoga, listening to soothing music or doing things you enjoy. Avoid relieving stress by getting use of alcohol, smoking or binging on food. These are harmful.
Dieting is a temporary, but a Lifestyle change is permanent. “
