Many find it challenging to follow a healthy diet in this fast-paced age. Beginners find it challenging to sift through the numerous diet plans to determine which ones will fit their preferences and choices. However, maintaining that healthy diet has its fair share of problems after picking out an eating pattern or meal plan. Despite the issues resulting from your busy schedule, following a healthy diet can still be possible.
It doesn’t entail missing out on your favorite meals. You can find numerous online tricks and tips that make eating healthy easier, and most of them are free and simple. Below are the five simplest ways to find a diet plan that fits you.
1. Follow a Diet Plan Full of Whole Foods
Browsing the internet will yield numerous tricks that will help you follow a healthy diet, and no meal plan is similar. Most successful, long-term healthy meals have one thing in common: they’re full of whole foods. Your whole foods refer to products that have been minimally processed, including the following:
- Fresh animal proteins
- Dairy and eggs
- Nuts and seeds
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Vegetables
- Fruits
Fad diets, supplements, and shakes might seem helpful, but many associates this diet with better health results. Your whole-food options are rich in phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins, and fibers that reduce the risks of chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity.
On the other hand, ultra-processed options like sodas, candies, and chips are more likely to stimulate chronic diseases and inflammation.
2. Bring in a Professional to Get Started
Figuring out which diet plan can be challenging and intimidating. You can find numerous diet plans, so it might be overwhelming to choose one. It also might feel like other people have an insight into what you shouldn’t or should eat. Many seasoned professionals can help you determine the best path for you. Most registered dietitians can aid you in navigating safe diet plans for specific diseases and conditions, your daily nutritional needs, food groups, and meal plans.
In addition, a behavior change specialist can help you break from old habits and develop new ones. But both practitioners will encourage you to undergo different medical tests. Especially with the current global situation, you’ll want to make sure you haven’t contracted the COVID-19 virus, which can affect your health severely. You’ll need to take a COVID antibody test to ensure you’re in the best shape to start a new diet.
3. Follow a Well-Balanced, Healthy Meal
In the present, researchers found out that people are eating more ultra-processed foods than before. Ultra-processed foods are products produced through industrial processing and tend to be rich in stabilizers, thickeners, sweeteners, and other ingredients that will make them taste better and last longer. It can refer to:
- sugar-sweetened sodas and juices,
- frozen dinners, and
- fast food.
Likewise, they’re tempting and dangerous since they can affect your behavior and brain chemistry. You can resist the temptation to indulge in these meals by keeping them out of your house and limiting your access to them. If possible, stock your pantry or fridge with whole, nutrient-dense foods. It’ll help follow your diet and encourage you to eat those healthy, nutritious options more often.
4. Live Healthily with Your Favorite Meal
Depriving yourself of your favorite meals will only cause endless craving that ends up backfiring. In short, it tends to make your cravings even stronger, particularly if someone is susceptible to cravings. Most studies showed a connection between feeling satisfied, instead of feeling deprived, with a higher rate of weight loss. Instead of entirely giving up on your favorite meals, try including them in the diet while practicing portion control.
5. Plan Before Deciding to Eat/Dine Out
Many people always look forward to dining out, happy hour, or potlucks. However, it can be a challenge for someone following a healthy diet. Most restaurant meals are rich in ultra-processed foods, fats, sugars, sodium, and calories than those cooked at home. Moreover, they come in large serving portions. In a social event, your choices depend on other people’s decisions.
Many find it easy to overeat when dining out, and following a healthy diet plan while eating out is challenging. Having a plan before getting out can go a long way in easing your mind and preparing you before eating out. Here are a few tips you can follow:
- Don’t be hasty. Savor your meal.
- Order your meal first.
- Drink water in the middle of the meal.
- Eat a small slice of fruit before going out.
- Look into the menu before eating out.
Forming new habits and breaking old ones is challenging, especially if it’s about foods you’ve been eating for your whole life. Your choice will depend on social, cognitive, and biological influences. Hence, you might have to rely on different tools to handle those factors and follow a healthy diet plan long term.
