Healthy habits

Eating well to keep our bodies healthy and strong doesn't mean only getting the necessary amount of essential nutrients, but also adopting healthy habits when eating meals.

+ Eating properly doesn't imply only getting enough nutrients or eating in a disorderly manner. To make sure that foods are absorbed properly in the body for them to really be effective in supporting the health and keeping your weight under control you should make sure to:

∎ Don't skip breakfast.

1. • This is the first meal after the fast of the night which has allowed your digestive system to rest. Breakfast should keep the body energized and the mind clear all day long.

∎ Don't go long periods of time without eating during the day. One of the main culprits of weight gain is not eating anything for prolonged periods, because you are distracted or busy. It modifies your metabolism and when you finally eat, hunger and anxiety make it difficult to control what foods you're eating and the size of servings. You are more likely to eat junk food or over eat, making you gain weight over time.

∎ Make sure that lunch serves its purpose.

That's to say that lunch provides you with the energy and nutrients that you need to help keep you going and keep you alert. Lunch shouldn't make you feel drowsy or sleepy because of the extra work breaking down food.

∎ Don't skip afternoon snack.

1. • A long interval between lunch and dinner is the worst enemy of weight control.
2. • The path to weight gain is “picking” before meals. If you get home tired and hungry before dinner, you are more likely to pick at snack foods like cheese, deli meat, crackers and wine, that have more calories than a well-planned meal.

∎ Eat a well-balanced dinner.

1. • To keep you healthy, you should keep in mind that dinner should provide you with the nutrients your body needs.
2. • The best dinner should complement your lunch.
3. • Remember that while lean proteins help keep you alert, complex carbohydrates in pastas and grains and the sleep inducing aminoacid tryptophan in milk give off serenity and calm to help you get the repairing sleep you body needs.

∎ Eat high quality foods.

1. • It's important to look for and opt for foods that are low in fat, especially low in saturated fats.
2. • Stay away from trans fats. Carefully, look at nutrition labels to find out if the foods have hydrogenated oils added. We should get fats naturally from foods like lean meats and dairy products, which provide more than enough to stay healthy. Excess fats are harmful for the health.
3. • It's important to carefully read food labels on packaging to find out the nutritional information and ingredients.
4. • You should check to see how much fiber is found in food, and opt for products that have a higher amount of fiber per serving.
5. • You can also find out from food labels how much calcium and iron is found in the food product. Its best to choose foods that are low in fat and calories, but high in essential nutrients.