5 Ways you can build a healthy, long lasting dietary regimen
Your diet is fundamental in helping you boost your immunity. With the COVID-19 pandemic still at large, it has become increasingly clear how essential a nutritious diet is. Eating healthy food is a crucial step in maintaining your overall health. In order to build a healthy and long- lasting dietary regimen, you must learn to inculcate habits that you can consistently keep up with. Your immune system is your body’s best defence against diseases and ailments. Here are 5 ways which will help you inch closer to maintaining an enduring healthy dietary regimen.
1. Befriend vegetables and fruits
When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the simple building blocks are vegetables and fruits. They contain the vitamins, minerals and the fibres that your body needs. Fruits and vegetables are easily available, so there is no excuse to exclude them from your diet. You can switch them up seasonally and never get tired of eating the same thing as there is always a large variety available. Include a riot of colours in your meals such as leafy greens, red and orange vegetables. A diet high in vegetables has been associated with a reduced risk of developing cancers of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, stomach, bladder, pancreas, and ovaries.
Try having 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. This will also help you cut out other unhealthy foods from your diet.
2. Moderation is key
Moderation simply implies that you do not overeat but eat until you feel satisfied and not overstuffed. It can be easy to indulge in unhealthy foods if you keep them around. Stock up on healthier alternatives that you can still enjoy and you can always reward yourself with a small, special treat. Do not try to cut out foods completely from your diet, but eat them in moderation, once in a while to maintain a healthy diet.
Moreover, it can be easy to mindlessly eat as you binge your favourite Netflix show. It is important to eat mindfully and pay attention to what you put in your mouth.
Your body needs macronutrients such as fats, carbohydrates and proteins along with nuts, whole grains, seeds, dairy, meat, beans, legumes and healthy starches. Strive to eat all these food groups in moderation so that you can maintain it in the long run and not just for the foreseeable future.
3. Cook your own meals
It can be tempting to scroll through food delivery applications and be enticed by the number of options available. However, when you cook your own meals, you have more of a control over what you are eating. You can alter it as per your taste, avoid unnecessary consumption of chemical additives and unhealthy fats. By cooking your meals, you are better able to monitor the food you eat and are thus able to make better choices.
You can learn simple ways of preparing foods that you actually enjoy. Cooking can be a therapeutic practice too. Additionally, you can see how many calories you are consuming as well.
4. Start slow
You will set yourself up for failure if you dive in head first and try to make big changes to your dietary habits. Take small, baby steps and change one thing at a time. Start by setting up realistic goals- even if it is losing weight, gaining it or maintaining it. If you have high, unrealistic expectations, you might lose the motivation and will to maintain a healthy diet. Even making minor changes such as eating more vegetables and proteins instead of processed foods is a new habit and habits take time to be established. If you want to sustain a particular habit, the change will not occur overnight but eventually.
5. Inculcate good habits
In order to supplement all the progress that you are making to improve your diet, other aspects of your lifestyle will also play a huge role. Healthy habits such as drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep will benefit your diet. To achieve optimal health, simply eating clean and nutritious food is not enough. If you get enough sleep and rest well, you will be less likely to be irritable and will not turn to unhealthy foods to satisfy your cravings to make yourself feel better for a short time. Reducing stress through habits such as meditating can also prove to boost your overall health.
With the tremendous amount of information available on the internet and with new fad diets propping up every few seconds, it can be difficult to identify what is the best practice for you. We hope that these tips will help you get started on your journey to a sustainable and successful healthy dietary regimen.