10 tips for a healthy lifestyle

healthy lifestyle

1. Eat varied

2. Eat plenty of carbohydrate-rich foods as the basis of your diet

3. Substitute saturated fats for unsaturated fats

4. Take lots of fruits and vegetables

5. Reduce your intake of salt and sugar

6. Eat regularly and check portion sizes

7. Drink plenty of fluids

8. Maintain a healthy body weight

9. Get going, and make it a habit!

10. Get started now! And gradually change.

1. Eat varied

To have good health we need more than 40 different nutrients, and no one food provides them all. It is not about an isolated meal, but about making balanced food choices on an ongoing basis. This will make a difference!

-You can have lunch with a high-fat content if accompanied by a low-fat dinner.

- If you eat a large portion of meat, fish may be the best option for the next day.

2. Eat plenty of carbohydrate-rich foods as the basis of your diet

About half the calories in the diet should come from carbohydrate-rich foods, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread. It is a good idea to include at least one of these products in every meal. Whole foods, for example in the form of bread, pasta, and cereals, will increase fiber intake.

3. Substitute saturated fats for unsaturated fats

Fats are important for good health and proper body function. However, excessive consumption can negatively impact weight and cardiovascular health. There are different types of fats, and each of them has different health effects. Some tips to keep the right balance are:

- It is advisable to restrict the consumption of saturated fats —often derived from foods of animal origin—, completely avoid trans fats and limit the total intake of fats. See labels for source information.

- Eating fish two or three times a week, with at least one serving of bluefish, will help to ensure adequate intake of unsaturated fats.

- When cooking, it is recommended to boil, steam or bake food, instead of frying them, in addition to removing the greasy part of the meat and using vegetable oils.

4. Take lots of fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are some of the most important foods for their sufficient supply of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. We should try to consume at least five servings a day. For example, a glass of natural fruit juice for breakfast, perhaps an apple or a slice of watermelon between meals, and a good portion of different vegetables at each meal.

5. Reduce your intake of salt and sugar

High salt intake can increase blood pressure and the risk of coronary heart disease. Diet salt can be reduced in several ways:

- When buying, choose products with lower sodium content.

- When cooking, substitute salt for spices, thus increasing the variety of aromas and flavors.

- When eating, avoid putting salt on the table or at least do not add salt until you have tasted the food.

Sugar provides sweetness and an attractive flavor, but sugary drinks and foods are very caloric and moderate consumption is recommended, as an occasional treat. Instead, we could use fruit, even to sweeten food and drink.

6. Eat regularly and check portion sizes

The best formula for a healthy diet is to eat a variety of foods, regularly and in the correct amounts.

Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to a feeling of uncontrolled hunger that often inevitably pushes you to excess. Eating between meals can help control hunger, but these snacks should not replace main meals. As a snack, we can have a yogurt, a handful of fresh or dried fruits or vegetables, such as carrot sticks, unsalted nuts or perhaps some bread with cheese.

If we pay attention to the size of the portions we will avoid consuming too many calories and we will be able to eat all the foods that we like, without needing to do without any.

- By cooking the correct amount, it is easier not to overeat.

- Some reasonable serving sizes are 100 g of meat, half a piece of fruit and half a cup of raw pasta.

- If smaller plates are used, it will be easier to eat smaller portions.

- Food packaged with labels showing the number of calories could help control servings.

- When eating out, you can share a portion with a friend.

7. Drink plenty of fluids

Adults have to drink at least 1.5 liters of liquid a day! Or more, if it is very hot or they develop a lot of physical activity. Clearly, water is the best source of liquid and can be tap or mineral, sparkling or still, running water, or flavored water. Fruit juices, tea, soft drinks, milk, and other drinks may be fine, from time to time.

8. Maintain a healthy body weight

Each person's proper weight depends on factors such as gender, height, age, and genetics. Being overweight increases the risk of a wide variety of diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Excess body fat is the consequence of eating more than necessary. The additional calories can come from any calorie nutrient, namely protein, fat, carbohydrate, or alcohol, but fat is the highest energy source. Physical activity helps us expend calories and makes us feel good. The message is reasonable and simple: if we are gaining weight, we have to eat less and be more active!

9. Get going, and make it a habit!

Physical activity is important for people, regardless of their weight and health. It helps us burn excess calories, it is good for the circulatory system and the heart, it maintains or increases our muscle mass, it helps us to focus and improves our general well-being and health. You don't have to be a professional athlete to get going! We recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity and you can easily integrate it into your daily routine. We could all:

- use the stairs instead of the elevator,

- take a walk on the lunch break (and stretch in the office during working hours),

- dedicate time to a family activity during the weekend.

10. Get started now! And gradually change

It is easier to maintain gradual lifestyle changes than large, simultaneous changes. If we write down for three days all the food and drinks we drink throughout the day and write down the amount of movement made, it will not be difficult to see what we can improve:

- Do we skip breakfast? A small bowl of muesli, a piece of bread or a piece of fruit could help us gradually incorporate it into our routine.

- Few fruits and vegetables? To start, we can introduce an additional ration a day.

- Preference for foods rich in fats? If we remove them at once, it could take its toll on us and bring us back to old ways. Instead, we can go for low-fat alternatives, eat them less often and in less quantity.

- Too little activity? An excellent starting point would be to use the stairs every day.