Which Diet Is Best For Me?
When it comes to dieting, there are seemingly endless options to choose from. Chances are you’ve been recommended one diet or another over the years and maybe even tried a few that either worked for a while or not at all before you burnt out on keeping up with them. (Fitness) Though going on a “diet” may seem like the best way to kickstart healthy living, it’s important to remember that your goal should be creating a lifestyle around healthy eating. Jumping into fad diets is rarely a sustainable practice and often ends with “relapse” into unhealthy habits and the potential for rapid weight gain. To avoid the rollercoaster ride of dieting, let’s look at some great ways to make sure you’re maintaining a healthy diet without dieting.
- Starting your day off right is step number one. You’ve probably heard it a million times that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Though it may sound cliche at this point, this common statement stems from real science. As the name suggests, breakfast is the meal at which you break the fast of your overnight rest where your body recovered from the previous day and relied on energy stores to get you to the morning. Breaking this fast is paramount for kickstarting your metabolism. Giving your body a new energy source tells it to get blood pumping and start functioning for the day. With this in mind, try to eat a well-rounded breakfast each day to maintain a healthy diet.
Some of the best choices you can make at breakfast time include whole grain cereals, proteins like eggs or nut butters, and of course anytime you can fit fruits and veggies into your diet is ideal. Eating a balanced breakfast will energize you for your day and keep your body operating optimally. (Staff) You may find that you actually feel hungrier on days that you eat breakfast. This is a good thing! That means you got your metabolism going and your body is expending more energy and thus looking to replenish.
- Don’t skimp on the carbs. This may sound insane since so many diets are carb-restrictive, but carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. Restricting them can sometimes result in the opposite outcome you’re hoping for. Instead, ensure that you take in the right kind of carbohydrates. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans are all high-quality carbohydrates your body very much needs to stay healthy. If you are an active person, you should be looking to consume about 45-65% of your calories through carbohydrates.
- Pack in the quality proteins. Proteins play a key role throughout the body in repairing tissues. Proteins are also great for helping you feel fuller for longer so that you aren’t reaching for sugary snacks throughout the day. Try fitting in proteins to all three meals including any snacks you have. Nuts, beans, lean meats, and low fat dairy products are ideal.
- Ensure that your fruits and vegetable intake is boosted for natural fiber, vitamins, and minerals which all work to keep your body functioning properly.
- When it comes to fats, try to consistently choose healthy ones. Avoid saturated fats when possible and instead go for high quality fats from foods like avocados, eggs, fish, and coconut. (Kilroy, D.S)
Take Home Points.
Having a quality diet doesn’t have to mean dieting. Eat, and eat well. Feed your body what it needs to fuel your activity level. A healthy diet doesn’t need to be complicated or challenging. Simply follow these guidelines and you’ll be feeling your best for feeding your body well.
References
Fitness. (n.d.). Reasons Why People Fail to Follow a Healthy Diet.
Kilroy, D. S. (2019). Eating the Right Foods for Exercise.
Staff, M. C. (March 22, 2019). Healthy Lifestyle and Fitness.