Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key
Key to any healthy diet is
moderation. But what is moderation? In essence, it means eating only as much
food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but
not stuffed. Moderation is also about balance. Despite what fad diets would
have you believe, we all need a balance of protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates,
vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
For many of us, moderation also
means eating less than we do now. But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you
love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered
moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not if you
follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories of
chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your
evening meal. If you're still hungry, fill up with extra vegetables.
- Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is
natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give
in to temptation. Start by reducing portion sizes of unhealthy foods and
not eating them as often. As you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods,
you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only
occasional indulgences.
- Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently. When dining out,
choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and
don't order supersized anything. At home, visual cues can help with
portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of
a deck of cards and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about
the size of a traditional light bulb. If you don't feel satisfied at the
end of a meal, add more leafy green vegetables or round off the meal with
fruit.
- Take your time. Stop
eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your
brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
- Eat with others whenever possible. As well as the emotional benefits, this allows
you to model healthy eating habits for your kids. Eating in front of the
TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
It's not just what you eat, but when you eat
- Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jump start your
metabolism, while eating small, healthy meals (rather than the standard
three large meals) keeps your energy up.
- Avoid eating at night. Try
to eat dinner earlier and fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next
morning. Studies suggest that eating only when you’re most active and
giving your digestive system a long break each day may help to regulate
weight.
