|
One of the key means to staying healthier and fit is
to focus on practicing healthy eating habits. Although at times many
of us can find it difficult, it’s not impossible and gets easier as
you focus on changing your eating habits daily…one meal at a
time! Consistently maintaining healthy eating habits also
help to ward off many illnesses as well as overweight; two factors
that in many instances can directly impact your ability to get
health and life insurance as well as your premium payment amounts.
-CM Smith Insurance Consultants, LLC
“Experts agree the key to healthy eating is the
time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short,
that means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many
calories or too much of any one nutrient. These 10 tips can help you
follow that advice while still enjoying the foods you eat.”
1)
Eat a variety of
nutrient-rich foods.
You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no
single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should
include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables;
dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How
much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food
Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy
references.
2)
Enjoy plenty of
whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Surveys show most Americans don’t eat enough of these foods. Do you
eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of
which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and
3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don’t enjoy some of these at
first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty
ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.
3)
Maintain a healthy
weight. The weight
that’s right for you depends on many factors including your sex,
height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for
high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of
cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your
risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health
problems. If you’re constantly losing and regaining weight, a
registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for
successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to
maintaining a healthy weight.
4)
Eat moderate
portions. If you
keep portion sizes reasonable, it’s easier to eat the foods you want
and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked
meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A
medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2
servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food
Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.
5)
Eat regular meals.
Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in
overeating. When you’re very hungry, it’s also tempting to forget
about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger,
but don’t eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.
6)
Reduce, don’t
eliminate certain foods.
Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite
foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much
of these foods you eat and how often you eat them. Identify major
sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if
necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy
products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the
Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your
choices.
7)
Choosing skim or
low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat
such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake
significantly. If you love fried chicken, however, you don’t have to
give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a
friend; ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.
8)
Balance your food
choices over time.
Not every food has to be “perfect.” When eating a food high in fat,
salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients.
If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next.
Your food choices over several days should fit together into a
healthy pattern.
9)
Know your diet
pitfalls. To
improve your eating habits, you first have to know what’s wrong with
them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your
list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of
butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating
these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough
fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital
nutrients.
10)
Make changes gradually. Just
as there are no “superfoods” or easy answers to a healthy diet,
don’t expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight.
Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to
remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up
to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don’t like
the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you
like skim, too.
“Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your
total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is “good” or
“bad.” Don’t feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato
chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose
other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to
good health”.
For more information:
www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/nutrition/10eattips.htm
Healthy Eating Based on the Food Guide Pyramid
Fat Facts and Fiction: The Skinny on Dietary Fat and Lower-Fat Foods
Healthy Cooking Secrets
Balancing Snacking With Physical Activity For A Healthy Lifestyle
** If you have any
great health tips or healthy recipes that you would like to share,
please e-mail it to
info@yourinsuranceconsultants.com
|
