Back in the days when our ancient ancestors were roaming the vast lands of the earth as cave men and women, food was not as abundant, accessible, and bountiful to consume as it is now.
Phew, we should all be thankful to live in the 21st-century…right?
Millions of hopeful individuals all around the world go on diets with a strong desire to shed those few extra pounds. Most people yoyo between strict diets and binging, which can have negative impacts on your mental and physical health. Now more than ever - calorie dense, taste bud tingling foods are available on every street corner. You don’t even have to leave your car! There are apps on your phone ready to deliver a convenient and hot meal in a box for you to delve into from the comfort of your couch. Convenience has been brought to all of us, but in exchange for what? Convenience reduces activity levels and to a certain extent, promotes laziness. Sure, we save time – but that time could be spent taking proactive steps towards our health.
There is a direct correlation between a poor diet and health issues. It’s simple, those who eat real, whole foods are more likely to lead disease-free and active lives rather than the latter group. A lifestyle change is required to keep the results you’ve seen. This means that you can’t follow a healthy diet for a few months, notice the pounds drop off and then return back to drinking sugary lattes and double cheese burgers.
Foods To Stick Too:
There are so many diets out, one claiming carbs are the devil the other fit for a die-hard meat eater. It can get really stressful and complicated to follow these diets for a long period of time. Sure, it could work for a week or two, even months – but how sustainable is it? I
To make it easy, stick to real foods. If it comes in a wrapper, look twice at it. Simple ingredients will always win over processed foods filled with too much sodium and preservatives.
Daily Checklist:
- 1 serving of fruit
- 2 servings of vegetables
- Protein:
56 grams per day for the average man and 46 grams per day for the average woman. There are more specific calculators available online that will take factors like weight and activity level into account.
- Healthy Fats:
Cheese, avocados, fatty fish, nuts, chia seeds, whole eggs and extra virgin olive oil are all examples of great fats to include into your diet.
Complex Carbs:
- Oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, green peas, couscous, and whole wheat bread are a few of the many healthy complex carb options.
