11 Steps Towards a Healthy Living Plan.

Forget about diets. There are a million and one different diets out there tellin
g you the 'miracle' way of loosing weight, keeping the weight off or staying hea
lthy. The only consistency of diets today is that none of them work. Yes, you ma
y loose a little weight by sticking to a diet but once you revert back to your o
ld ways of eating the weight will just come back again. What most people need is
not a diet, but a healthy eating plan. Diets do not encourage healthy eating; m
any will deprive you of essential nutrition and be counterproductive to long ter
m health. You don't need to starve yourself, you don't have to eat calorie contr
olled meals, you don't have to follow fad diets; you simply have to follow these
14 steps towards a healthy lifestyle
Step #1 - Make sure you eat some form of protein at every meal.
Protein is important in any guide to healthy eating. In the past, many diets hav
e either told us to remove or limit protein, or 'overdose' on protein in our pur
suit of weight loss and healthy living. Both of these are incorrect. Protein at
every meal will ensure you will not overeat, which is typical of high carbohydra
te diets. Protein is also essential in building and repairing muscle, which is e
ssential to build a strong metabolism. Eating protein at every meal is important
, but remember, this doesn't mean it is the only thing you should be eating.
Step #2 - If you can't eat protein at meal times have a protein shake.
Since it is important to have protein at every meal, it is also important to mak
e up for the times when we can't include protein in our diet. Protein shakes can
be bought at health stores, bodybuilding suppliers, and in many supermarkets. R
emember though, protein shakes are a 'supplement', and as such they are there to
supplement an already healthy diet, not be the basis of one.
Step #3 - Eat 3 meals a day.
Skipping meals is one of the worst things you can do for your body. Remember to
have 3 substantial meals a day. Once you miss a meal your body lowers your metab
olism to take into account the lack of energy in your body. Once your metabolism
slows down it makes it a lot harder to loose weight and remain healthy. If you
are not in the habit of having three meals a day start planning a menu for each
day. It is also helpful to have designated 'meal times' to bring routine into yo
ur eating habits.
Step #4 - Eat more fresh fruit.
This is self explanatory. If you want a snack, have some fresh fruit. Fruit is v
ery good for you and the fiber makes it a more substantial snack then many unhea
lthy alternatives. You should eat at least 2 pieces of fruit a day.
Step #5 - Eat more seasonal vegetables.
Like the last step, this one is also self explanatory. With each of your meals t
hroughout the day, have some vegetables. There are many different ways you can e
at vegetables, so be creative. Salads are easy, and cooked vegetables can be had
with a lot of meals. You should eat at least 5 servings of vegetables a day.
Step #6 - Avoid carbohydrates after breakfast in the form of bread, pasta, rice,
potatoes, pumpkin and tin food.
Carbohydrates are fine, in fact, they are essential. But what we want to eat mos
t of are complex carbohydrates, which are primarily found in fruit and vegetable
s. Simple carbohydrates as listed above are also fine to eat in moderation, howe
ver, they should be avoided after breakfast as they only provide short term ener
gy which is converted into excess calories when not used.
Step #7 - Avoid Snacking... and if you need to snack, have fruit, a protein drin
k or untoasted walnuts or almonds.
Snacking should be avoided, as it is usually where we consume the excess calorie
s and fat in our diet. Part of this problem is 'snack foods' which have become a
staple in households, yet don't have much nutritional value. If you are going t
o snack, stick with the above suggestions.
Step #8 - Drink lots of water.
www.DilSeDesi.org
Most people don't drink enough water. The amount of water you should drink varie
s from person to person, and can be dependant on a range of different factors su
ch as climate and physical activity. Try to drink at least 2 liters of water a d
ay, it will help you flush toxins from your body, aid in digestion and keep your
body operating efficiently.
Step #9 - Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Although it is difficult for many people to avoid caffeine and alcohol on a dail
y basis, I suggest you keep these to a limit of a drink a day. Preferably alcoho
l should be kept to less than 3 nights a week. Both of these substances can be c
ounterproductive to good eating habits and keeping good health.
Step #10 - Exercise Regularly.
No healthy living guide could be complete without telling you to exercise regula
rly. Above all, do something that you enjoy. If you enjoy going to the gym 3 nig
hts a week, do that. If you enjoy playing squash with your friends, do that. If
you enjoy running around the block a few times in the afternoon, do that. One of
the more important parts of exercising is doing something that you will continu
e to keep up. There is no point in buying a gym membership if you despise going
to the gym. Keep in mind that the more you enjoy something, the more you will do
it, so stick to exercise you enjoy.
Step #11 - Take a walk after your evening meal.
As well as getting into good habits, this one will also help you keep the weight
down. It is common to over indulge during your evening meal. The problem with t
his is the overload of energy that will be in your body when you are doing nothi
ng but sleeping. You don't need all this energy whilst you are sleeping so it is
beneficial to go on an evening walk after you nightly meal. If you get into the
habit of doing it, it becomes a relaxing and extremely helpful tool for staying
healthy.