Everyone wants to be healthy, and a large percentage of us want to lose weight. Along with regular exercise, the best way to do this is by eating a healthy diet. With our busy lifestyles, it is hard to work out what we should and shouldn’t be eating.

Healthy Eating Tips

There are a number of things to consider if you’re looking to eat healthier and get into better shape. And it doesn’t just come down to the foods you eat. Here are some healthy eating tips that will give you a good start:

Start off slowly and make gradual changes over time

Completely overhauling your diet in one foul swoop is a massive effort and unrealistic. The likelihood of you sticking to drastic changes is unlikely. Taking small steps to change your diet is a much better solution.

This can include cutting out soft drinks, replacing butter with a canola spread, adding vegetables to every dinner, things like that. Choose what you think you can do first, and gradually add to that as you feel comfortable with the previous change.

Eat in moderation

Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean you should eliminate certain foods, especially if you like them. In fact, “banning” yourself from someone foods will just make you want them more. The key is moderation. Less healthy treats should only be consumed occassionally. And for all meals, you should consider smaller portions. If you usually have a 300g steak, look to get 200g. And if you’re still hungry, supplement this with extra greens. Or have fresh fruit afterwards.

Fill up on bright fruits and veg

Continuing on from the previous tip, fruit and vegetables are the cornerstone of a good diet. They are high in nutrients and low in calories, and generally contain high amounts of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. If you’re going to change one thing in your diet, it should be including more fruit and veg!

Look to supplement

Over time, the quality of our soils has decreased and as a result, the nutritional value of our fruit and vegetables has diminished. They are still good for you and wholefoods are always preferable when eating, but sometimes supplementation is necessary to fill in any deficiencies. There are a range of immune boosters which help give you adequate nutrition and increase your immunity, making it less likely for you to become sick.

Limit your sugar and salt intake

Cutting back on sugar we directly put onto our foods, and reducing the amount of chocolates, cakes and soft drinks is only half the battle. Many foods that may seem healthy can have high amounts sugar and salt, so you need to look carefully at labels. Major culprits are canned soups, pasta sauces, fast food, frozen meals among others. For effective ways on cutting back on sugar click here.

Deep fried fatty foods are high in cholesterol and prolonged bad eating can increase the likelihood of heart disease or even a heart attack. If you feel you may be at risk, consult a doctor.

Health Foods Online

There are the obvious no-no’s such as deep fried fatty foods, soft drinks with high sugar content, and items loaded with preservatives. But to really get on top of your diet and start eating the best things possible, we have compiled a list of the worlds healthiest foods.

If something is not included on the list, that does not mean you should avoid it. Maintaining a balanced diet that focuses around the below foods will be a major step in the right direction for a healthy body, and mind. The foods we have selected are based on the following reasons:

They are the most nutrient dense, having the most rich sources of many essential nutrients to maximise optimal health. They are all whole foods, which means they have not been highly processed or do not contain artificial or synthetic ingredients. They are familiar foods, which means they are common everyday foods which most people know. They are readily available, so you can easily get them all over the country and find them at your local market or supermarket. And finally, they are affordable, which means you will not break your budget by eating healthy.

Vegetables

Asparagus
Avocados
Beets
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Collard greens
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Fennel
Garlic
Green beans
Green peas
Kale
Leeks
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Olives
Onions
Potatoes
Romaine lettuce
Sea vegetables
Spinach
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Swiss chard
Tomatoes
Turnip greens
Yams

Beans & Legumes

Black beans
Dried peas
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lima beans
Miso
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Soybeans
Tempeh
Tofu

Seafood

Cod
Halibut
Salmon
Scallops
Shrimp
Tuna

Fruits

Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cranberries
Figs
Grapefruit
Grapes
Kiwifruit
Lemon/Limes
Oranges
Papaya
Pears
Pineapple
Plums
Prunes
Raisins
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon

Eggs & Low-Fat Dairy

Cheese, low-fat
Eggs
Milk, 2%, cow’s
Milk, goat
Yogurt

Poultry & Lean Meats

Beef, lean organic
Calf’s liver
Chicken
Lamb
Turkey
Venison

Nuts & Seeds

Almonds
Cashews
Flaxseeds
Olive oil, extra virgin
Peanuts
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts

Grains

Barley
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Corn
Millet
Oats
Quinoa
Rye
Spelt
Whole wheat

Spices & Herbs

Basil
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Chili pepper, dried
Cilantro/Coriander seeds
Cinnamon, ground
Cloves
Cumin seeds
Dill
Ginger
Mustard seeds
Oregano
Parsley
Peppermint
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Turmeric

Natural Sweeteners

Blackstrap molasses
Cane juice
Honey
Maple syrup

Other

Green tea
Soy sauce (tamari)
Water

Now that you know what foods are good to eat, try and implement some of these healthy options when eating out. There are some very good restaurants which utilise a number of these foods and will make your eating experience more enjoyable AND better for you. Obviously you can’t find entirely good ingredients in every course but if they are low in fats, salts and sugars, and feature things from above, you are going to be helping out your body!