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7 Healthy Eating Habits That’ll Keep You Fit and Young
- Riza
- 15 hours ago
- 4 min read
Ever wonder how the boomers are still fit and healthy whereas the millennials and Gen-Z keep struggling with back pain and fatigue?
It all comes down to our daily intake of nutrients.
WHO states that a healthy diet includes unprocessed foods, fruits, vegetables, low sugar & salt intake, and unsaturated fats. However, with the rise in population and changing lifestyles, it’s hard to find time and resources for healthy consumption.
For instance, all we get is processed food these days. Fresh fruits and vegetables are scarce and we are mostly using frozen items. To top it all, we are getting used to buying fast food takeouts, canned goods, and sugary items either due to busy schedules or unavailability or in some cases, laziness.
Whatever the reason may be, we all deserve to be fit. If this Gen-Z can do it, so can you.
Without further ado, let’s quickly dive into these important habits to transform your health:
1. Watch Your Calorie Intake
First and foremost is to calculate your current calorie intake. On average, an adult takes 2000-2500 Kcals per day. It can vary based on your age, weight, and BMI (body mass index). If you don’t know your BMI, simply search for the BMI calculator on the search engine and add your height and weight to find out.
Find yourself a free fitness app or website, and add your daily food intake to get a rough estimate of your calorie count. Your next step depends on your goal.
Are you trying to lose or gain weight as well or do you just want to maintain the current weight but with healthy food? If the latter is your goal, keep up with the same calories but change your diet. If you want to lose weight, simply limit your calories e.g. if your current intake is 2000 Kcals then you just have to reduce it to a 1500 mark. Similarly, for weight gain, you only have to increase the calorie limit.
The fitness app will also share a division of carbs, fats, and proteins in your diet which will help you prepare a balanced diet for the future. Let’s discuss more on this below.
2. Ration A Balanced Meal
After carefully evaluating your diet, it’s time to tweak it. But what makes a balanced diet? Food enriched with macronutrients and micronutrients.
A specific combination of carbs, proteins, and fats mainly with some quantities of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. In simpler words, your diet should include any of these;
· 40-50 % Carbs: Rice, Wheat, Potato, Bread, Fruits, Pasta, Dairy, etc.
· 30 % Proteins: Meat, Lentils, Beans, Eggs, Fish, etc.
· 20-30 % Fats: Olive Oil, Nuts, Seeds, Avocados, Meat, etc.
· Antioxidants: Green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, etc.
That’s all the food you need! But a balanced meal is incomplete without water. Take a glass of water before any meal to not let yourself go thirsty after eating. The same water will be harmful to your gut if taken after the meal. Interesting, isn’t it?
3. Divide Your Meals
Take small meals rather than filling up your stomach to its maximum. We have our general breakfast, lunch, and dinner but try to expand each meal into two i.e. Early breakfast, Before Noon, Afternoon lunch, Evening snack, Dinner, and Night bites. This doesn’t mean you’re supposed to eat double.
You just have to divide the course of 3 sittings into 6. Always leave the table with your stomach half full. This way you are not only training your body to eat healthily but also ensure lesser retention of fat.
4. Stop The Intake of Processed Food
Speaking of fat, go over your eating habits and establish the number of times you eat processed, canned, or fast food in a day or a week.
If it's more than once, you are in trouble. Prefer cooking on your own, starting from an omelet to grilled chicken it is very simple. Avoid any packaged goods and always opt for fresh groceries (meat, vegetables, fruits, condiments).
Processed food is filled with preservatives and has zero nutritional value.
5. Add Fresh Vegetables to Your Diet
Everybody loves vegetables in the form of salads. If you aren’t a fan of making a fancy salad just cut up some cucumbers, tomatoes, and beans or whatever you have.
We talked about before noon meal previously, what’s better than a cup of fresh veggies?
If you are eating them at lunch, always eat your veggies first because they are a source of antioxidants and vitamins lowering the risk of heart disease.
6. Eat Plenty of Fruits & Nuts
Feeling “snackish”? That pack of chips and cookies isn’t the way to go. Try replacing your go-to snacks with healthy ones like a handful of nuts (walnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, or pistachios), a bowl of any seasonal fruit, or a mixed fruit bowl.
Fruits and nuts are rich in antioxidants and nutrients, which will not only fulfill your evening hunger but also give you a boost for the rest of the day. Whereas processed snacks will only make you more fatigued due to high carbs and saturated fats.
7. Cut Down Sugar
Throw away those sweetened beverages, they are a poison. Until now, we have only discussed all those items that either benefit you or cause unnecessary weight gain. But when we talk about sugar, the most consumed form is soft drinks which are a hazard to your health.
They not only cause weight gain and dental problems but studies have proved that these sugary liquids lead to chronic diseases like hypertension, liver problems, and diabetes in individuals.
Other sources of sugar are also harmful if consumed in large quantities. Make sure to take no more than 5% sugar in your daily diet to lead a fit life.
That’s about it for healthy eating but don’t forget to incorporate physical activity. This will not only improve your physical strength but also your cognitive function to be more productive and less lethargic.
Does any of this seem difficult with the current lack of resources? I bet it’s easier than you thought. Follow these simple habits in your fast and furious life and you’ll see yourself getting happier and healthier.
References
Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board
