HEALTH & BEAUTY | Healthy Eating Part 2 of 2
In part one I talked about healthy eating goals, ending off at point number six: Fibre. Today, we’ll start by looking at point number seven: FATS!
7. Fats
Forget about low-fat diets. Just learn the difference between good fats and bad fats. Bad fats include saturated fats and trans fats – found in fatty cuts of red meat, whole-fat dairy products, cheese, packaged snack foods like microwave popcorn and chips and commercially-baked pastries such as doughnuts and cakes – and are responsible for weight gain, increased cholesterol, clogged arteries, and are therefore to be avoided.
Good fats, such as monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s, on the other hand, have the opposite effect and are to be sought out. They can help with weight loss, prevent heart disease and increase mood. Find these healthy fats in olive oil, fish (such as salmon, sardines, and trout), nuts, and tofu.
8. Local Foods
Eating local grown foods means eating food that is seasonal, fresh and environmentally friendly. Local foods do not have to be trucked or flown in from thousands of miles away and so are allowed to ripen, optimize their nutrients, and are free of preservatives. Eating seasonal allows you to have a variation in your diet and eat foods optimal for your body given your climate and location.
9. Liquids
One of the most important parts of eating healthy is drinking enough water. As water makes up 60 per cent of your body weight, you can imagine the vital role that it plays in bodily functions, such as acting as a lubricant, optimizing the function of ears, nose, and throat tissues, regulating body temperature, and allowing nutrients to reach your cells. Having at least 1.5L of water a day allows your body to flush out toxins, detoxifying the body.
10. Planning and Balance
Ultimately, the key to setting yourself up for success is twofold. First, you need to plan things ahead of time – set manageable steps rather than drastic changes, prepare foods on the weekend or get groceries together for the week, not daily. And second, you need find balance. All of this can be overwhelming if you saddle yourself with unrealistic goals and dreams of perfection. Don’t stress. Make the changes at your own pace and you might actually enjoy the process! This will allow you to make these changes for life, not just a short-lived New Years Resolution.
To kick-start healthy eating, here are a few ideas:
Breakfast
Banana Bread Oatmeal (Steel Cut Oatmeal cooked with a banana and cinnamon. Serve with a hard boiled egg on the side.)
We all know it’s the most important meal of the day, but seem to have forgotten that what we have for breakfast is just as important. Danishes, although tasty, don’t quite cut it.
Banana Bread Oatmeal, however, is the perfect winter breakfast. It’s warm and comforting, and also very balanced. The steel cut oats are complex carbohydrates and a good source of fiber, the banana is a serving of fruit full of antioxidants, the cinnamon adds flavour and balances blood sugar levels and the egg provides protein. (For those who don’t like hard-boiled eggs…buy egg whites in a carton, and at the last couple minutes of cooking the oats, mix in one egg’s worth to get your proteins).
In the summer, a protein shake with almond milk and berries also works great.
Lunch
I suggest a salad made of mixed leafy greens, your favorite sprouts, chicken, turkey breast, or salmon, or nuts and seeds depending on your diet. Add a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.
In the winter, when it’s nice to have a warm lunch, consider having a nice hearty vegetable based soup, or an ancient grain wrap with sautéed garlic spinach and chicken breast, with some Dijon mustard for flavor.
Dinner
Quinoa salad with basil, olive oil, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and a side of baked salmon. Vegetarian: try a vegetable stir-fry with tempeh.
For dinner, the quick and easiest is having brown rice with a baked protein, whether it be salmon, tofu or chicken breast, and a mixture of steamed vegetables, such as kale, carrots, spinach and broccoli drizzled in a light olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing after cooking.