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We all know that we should be eating better, but it is not always easy to pick the right things to eat or even know how to make the right choices. Here are some tricks to make eating smart easier.
Learn how many calories you should be consuming in a day given your level of activity and your weight goals. Try this online calculator for approximating how many calories you need to take in per day to maintain your current weight.
Knowing roughly the number of calories you are aiming for each day can help you eat better, especially when you go out to eat or to a party. For instance, if you over indulge at a holiday party on Saturday night, you may want to take extra care to stick to whole grains and fruit for breakfast the next morning.
Use websites like Healthy Dining Finder to identify restaurants and dishes that fit into more of a healthy eating category than others do. At the very least, you will have a better idea of what you are consuming.
Educate yourself about the ingredients in a particular dish. Instead of skipping pasta altogether because of the carbs, understand that marinara sauce is healthier and has less fat then alfredo. Cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than a hearty, broth based vegetable and pasta soup. If you are cooking at home, you can still make a cream based soup but use 1% milk instead, for example.
If you have a choice of side dishes at home or in a restaurant, select a salad with low fat dressing, whole grain rice or grilled vegetables. That way, even if you have selected a rather high calorie main dish, you are still getting your daily requirements of fruits and veggies or whole grains along with it.
Try substituting water, skim milk or tea when you are eating for alcoholic beverages or soda. This is an excellent way to cut back on calories and in many cases save money as well.
Remember that moderation is the key to nearly anything in life. Sure, it is okay to have dessert, but split it with someone else or have a smaller piece. As long as it is part of an overall healthier eating regimen, it is perfectly acceptable and may actually prevent you from overindulging in the future.
While you are at it, try to keep the proportions of everything else you eat in check as well. Unfortunately, restaurants seem to keep making their portions bigger and bigger. If you are eating out, offer to split a meal with someone or take half of your meal home so you can get a second meal out of it.
Eat several small meals throughout the day rather than overindulging in just one or two. Start every day out with a healthy breakfast that includes whole grains, fruit, low fat dairy, etc. and you will not only get your metabolism jump started early on in the day, but you will find you are not as hungry throughout the day.
Remember to stop and chew your food well. Not only does this force you to eat more slowly, ensuring that you fill up faster, you will also tend to eat less this way.
Cook and eat with less salt. If you are cooking at home, just a pinch will usually do, and if you are eating out, it is likely the dish is already seasoned. Taste it before adding any extra salt to it.
Eating smart really does not have to be that hard if you do a little homework and take the time to institute good eating practices. |
