At the outset, it is important to remember that it is unrealistic to believe that we can (or need to) completely change our lives just because we have started a new year on the calendar. The pressure that this thinking imposes can actually be harmful, especially when the focus is on improving what we eat and how we eat. Big change does not happen overnight, and in fact, your chances of achieving and maintaining your health and wellness goals are better when you make small changes over time – these small changes are equally significant and will make you feel proud and accomplished as they accumulate to ultimately achieve a big change.
Tips for Achieving Your Health and Wellness Goals
Before we dive into delicious ways of eating to achieve health and satisfaction, it is also helpful to know the habits and behavioral changes that can support your journey towards healthy eating and overall body wellness.
Remember that nutrition is not the only element in the health equation
You should remember that food is not the only element in the health equation. “Getting enough sleep, engaging in regular physical activity, and taking care of emotional and mental health are equally important, if not more important,” says Stephanie Sassos, Director of Nutrition Lab at Good Housekeeping Institute.
Indulging in mindful eating
This relates to the behavioral aspect of adopting a healthy eating pattern. Learn how certain foods make you feel (energized, sluggish, or an instant feeling of fullness) so that you can eat in a way that suits you and your body, not just the way you were taught from a young age or while following a restrictive diet. “One thing that traditional dieting misses is focusing on eating behaviors. Connecting with your body’s signals and feelings of hunger and fullness doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s something to work on so you can trust your body when it comes to eating to feel your best,” says Sassos. Putting your phone aside or committing to eating at the table instead of in front of the television are other smart tactics for mindful eating.
Finding a happy balance regarding overeating or undereating
Fasting or skipping meals can lead to adopting a binge-eating methodology, even if you are doing it simply because you are in a hurry and not to follow some trends on social media. “Your body needs fuel throughout the day to function at its best,” says Sassos. If you find yourself overeating at night, do a quick check and ensure you are eating enough during the day. Try to build balanced meals (like protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats) and use healthy snacks you can take with you (like nuts, fresh fruits, Greek yogurt cups, and popcorn).
Savoring your food
It takes your stomach 20 minutes to send a signal to your brain that it is full, so if you are eating your evening meal in half that time, you are likely overeating. Enjoying every flavor, texture, and aroma is one form of mindful eating that can also help you slow down, says Sassos.
Use these diets as a guide
Ultimately, you don’t have to follow these diets perfectly to reap their benefits. Use them as a foundation to build an overall healthy plate – then once you master them, you can choose and select the ingredients that work best for you to create something customized and unique that fits your needs,” says Sassos.
Best
General Diet: The Mediterranean Diet
This dietary pattern is one of the most balanced and sustainable models you can follow, containing the perfect mix of foods for good overall health, lasting energy, and disease prevention. “I grew up in a Greek family and was raised on a Mediterranean diet. But it really never felt like a diet, and that’s why I believe this way of eating has stood the test of time,” says Sasous. “It’s a viable, sustainable, balanced approach, and most importantly, delicious – because healthy food should be enjoyable and something you look forward to eating.”
Don’t just take our word for it: there’s plenty of research supporting the benefits of the Mediterranean diet (“more than any other diet out there!” adds Sasous), which include support for heart and brain health, overall wellness, as well as longevity.
What You’ll Eat:
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, which naturally nourish your body with a wide array of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Healthy fats from sources like olive oil and avocado hold a prominent place. You’ll also get to enjoy fatty fish rich in protein alongside whole grains like barley, farro, and a variety of legumes, nuts, and seeds that provide more fiber and plant-based protein.
If you’re interested in a slightly flexible plan, you can check out the 28-day Mediterranean diet plan from Good Housekeeping.
Best Vegetarian Diet: Flexitarian Diet
The term “flexitarian” may sound complex and fancy, but it actually refers to a flexible vegetarian. This is an appealing approach because health and nutrition experts tell us it’s important to eat more plants – and if you’re a newbie to vegetarianism and unsure where to start, this plan is for you. “The flexitarian approach to eating is a viable, practical, comprehensive approach. If you’re not ready (or interested) in going completely vegetarian or vegan, eating like a flexitarian is a great place to start,” says Sasous. “Flexibility makes it more sustainable in the long run.”
Simply put, you add more plant-based foods, but you’re not expected to completely give up animal products. The idea is to start eating more plant-based offerings without feeling like you’re missing out on anything. Flexitarians are also typically more mindful of the animal products they choose to consume. For instance, they might opt for sustainable seafood or grass-fed meat when having those foods.
What You’ll Eat:
Of course, there is a strong emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables (do you see the trend yet?!); whole grains or plant-based pasta and rice; sources of plant-based protein that come from nature (like legumes, lentils, tofu, tempeh, and jackfruit) instead of processed plant-based products; and healthy fats from olive oil or avocado oil, nuts, and seeds.
Best Weight Loss Diet: Noom Diet
This diet seems to always top the lists, and we understand the buzz around it. “Noom was designed by psychologists, nutritionists, and fitness trainers, so it focuses on behavior change and aims to adopt long-term healthy habits,” explains Sasous. “For a weight management program, this is crucial, as it can help you build sustainable results and prevent weight regain.” It combines food tracking, individual coaching, and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to help you achieve or maintain your weight loss goals, so this diet may be beneficial for people looking for more structure and guidance.
How
How It Works:
After registering and downloading the Noom app, you will receive a personalized calorie breakdown based on a series of questions about your lifestyle. You will track the foods you eat by searching a database or scanning barcodes. You will log exercises, weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels for those following specific diabetes plans. You will receive personalized guidance within the app. You will also stay motivated through interactive articles and quizzes.
What You Will Eat:
Noom uses a unique system to categorize foods by different colors, classifying foods into various categories based on calorie density.
Green foods: These are the least calorie-dense and/or contain the highest concentration of healthy nutrients. Examples include certain vegetables, fruits, egg whites, tofu, shrimp, skim milk, low-fat dairy products, and more.
Yellow foods: These foods are higher in calories and/or have fewer healthy nutrients per serving than green foods. Examples include avocados, salmon, lean ground beef, black beans, olives, hummus, and more.
Red foods: These are the most calorie-dense foods and/or contain the least healthy nutrients. Examples include full-fat dairy products, peanut butter, plain rice cakes, and more.
The Best Diet for a Healthy Lifestyle: The Blue Zones Diet
This diet is not officially categorized as a diet – it’s more like a healthy eating pattern along with a complementary lifestyle, but that’s the main reason we love it. It’s also great that this is the lifestyle lived by the healthiest and longest-lived people in the world. “The Blue Zones are a prime example that nutrition is only a small part of the health equation. What we eat plays a role in longevity, but movement, sleep, communication, and social connection are equally important when it comes to a holistic approach to diet and healthy living,” says Sassos.
The Blue Zones have been popularized by Dan Buettner, who collaborated with National Geographic and the National Institute on Aging to assemble a team of anthropologists, epidemiologists, and researchers who were able to identify five regions with the highest concentration of people living to age 100! These regions also have lower rates of chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
If you take a close look at the eating patterns of people living in the Blue Zones, you will find a significant focus on whole grains, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, plant-based proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables in large quantities.
What You Will Eat:
There is a strong emphasis on whole grains, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, plant-based proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables. You can find a complete grocery list in Buettner’s latest book, but here’s a quick look at some staple foods from each Blue Zone:
Sardinia, Italy: Olive oil, red wine, fennel, sourdough bread
Okinawa, Japan: Seaweed, tofu, fermented ingredients like miso, purple sweet potatoes, sesame oil
Nicoya, Costa Rica: Black beans, yuca, corn masa
Ikaria, Greece: Potatoes, thyme, lemon, greens
Loma Linda, California (USA): Largely vegetarian with some staple ingredients from other cultures, such as yeast
Source: https://www.aol.com/want-actually-feel-good-2024-140000998.html
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