Although not everyone dreams of being a fitness model, being healthy and fit is one of the conditions for a happy life. However, bad habits and laziness force us to jeopardize our health, and the food we eat plays one of the most important parts in the way we feel. If you don’t want bad food habits to stand in the way of you becoming healthy, check out these tips and become a better person in no time.
1. Make your diet plant-based
We’re not telling you to become a vegetarian, although if that’s what you really want, then go ahead and stop eating meat. What we’re talking about is making fruits and vegetables the base of your diet. Not only is fresh produce incredibly healthy, but it’s also filling and versatile, which means you can take a couple of potatoes and design hundreds of dishes with them. The key to eating even healthier is focusing on the plants that grow in your area (+-300 km).
2. Eat less cow dairy
Cow milk-based dairy is a tricky product: it seems exceptionally healthy at first, but the reality is that many people are actually lactose-intolerant, which means that every time they eat something made with cow milk they’re going to experience digestion problems. Now, that may not be the case for you, but if you’re not feeling well after consuming cow milk, maybe you belong in the lactose-intolerant camp.
3. Limit your egg intake
Eggs are one of the favourite ingredients all around the world, but if you want to remain healthy, try to limit your egg intake to 3-4 a week. If you can’t live without an omelette or other egg-based dish for breakfast, you can use one yolk and two egg whites – since the cholesterol and other harmful ingredients are stored in the yolk, egg whites will do you no harm. If you often use eggs in baking, substitute them with bananas or apple puree.
4. If you must, drink red wine
Although alcohol is far from being called a healthy product, a glass of your favourite beverage can help you unwind after a long day. Of course, it’s best to avoid alcohol altogether, but if you can’t imagine a weekend without some liquor, go for red wine – it’s known to benefit your blood, metabolism, and reduce the stress levels. Take a look at Italians – they drink red wine regularly and are one of the healthiest nations on the planet.
4 more healthy tips on page 2
5. Drink coffee and tea
You may have heard that coffee is actually rather bad for your health, particularly your heart, but if you want not only to be physically fit, but also to preserve your mental health, a cup or two of coffee a day will help your mind stay sharp and focused. Lower the risk of dementia and Parkinson’s disease with the help of a delicious cup of coffee. If coffee is not really your thing, why not have a cup of strong black tea? It has the same health benefits as the coffee, minus the possible health risks.
6. Stop eating before you’re full
When there is a lot of great food on your table, it might be hard to limit yourself to a small portion of your favourite dish. However, overeating has a lot of negative effects on your health and fitness. The secret to making every meal good for you is to stop eating when you’re about 80-90% full. If you leave the table still feeling a bit hungry, in 15 to 20 minutes you’re guaranteed to feel full. Plus, if you don’t stuff your face with everything you see on the table, you are more likely to enjoy every bite, which is one of the ultimate goals of eating.
7. Choose the right time to drink water
Every health-conscious person is determined to drink as much clear water as possible, but the truth is that there are the best moments to consume water and there are not so good ones. If you want to avoid overeating, drink a glass or two of water 10 minutes before the meal, and take sips of water between bites to help your stomach. However, after you’re don with your meal, try to stay away from the water for ~20 minutes – let your stomach some time to work on the food you just consumed.
8. Try to keep an eating schedule
One of the best things you can do for your digestive system and overall health is to make your body used to a certain schedule for meals. By taking your meals at the same time during the day you will make your metabolism work like a clock. Of course, you can still eat snacks before major meals – just make sure those snacks are healthy enough.
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