1. Eat enough calories but not too many.
Keep a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure, that is, don't eat more food than your body uses. The average daily expenditure is 2,000 calories, but this depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activities.
2. Eat a wide variety of foods.
Healthy eating provides you an opportunity to try a wider range of foods that you don't normally eat, especially vegetables, whole grains and fruits.
3. Keep your portions moderate.
In recent years, serving sizes have ballooned, especially in restaurants. You are recommended to choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don't order super-sized dishes.
4. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
The best foods are those high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol.
5. Drink more water.
About 75 percent of our bodies are water, a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush systems with waste products and toxins, such as the kidney and bladder.
6. Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products.
Sugar is added to a vast variety of foods. In one year, one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can increase your weight by 16 pounds.
7. Take time to chew your food.
Chew your food slowly and try to savor every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
8. Avoid stress while eating.
When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised, thus causing problems like colitis and heartburn. Avoid eating while working, driving, arguing, or watching TV. Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
9. Listen to your body.
Ask yourself if you are really hungry. You may really be thirsty, so try drinking a glass of water first. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food.
10. Eat early and eat often.
Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily calorie intake early in the day gives your body time to consume those calories. Also, eating small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.
