When it comes to eating, everyone has an opinion on what’s good, what’s bad, and what’ll make you gain weight, and what’ll make you lose it. There is a lot of “advice” out there, but some of it is just myth.
Here are 3 things about healthy eating that are not myths that you need to know
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition
Your overall dietary pattern is the most important and it is the cornerstone of a healthy body. A good diet pattern means replacing processed food with real food whenever possible. Eating food that is as close as possible to the way nature made it can make a huge difference to the way you look and feel.
You don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy, and you don’t have to change everything all at once—that usually only leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. A better approach is to make a few small changes at a time. Keeping your goals modest can help you achieve more in the long term without feeling deprived or overwhelmed by a major diet overhaul.
To set yourself up for success, try to keep things simple. For example, focus on avoiding packaged and processed foods; processed foods are notoriously high in sugar, salt and fat! Instead opt for fresh ingredients whenever possible.
A balanced diet is very simply a sustainable way of eating
While some extreme diets may suggest otherwise, we all need a balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, and minerals in our diets to sustain a healthy body. You don’t need to eliminate certain categories of food from your diet, but rather select the healthiest options from each category.
Aim to get a balanced intake across all food groups.
Your body is well equipped to cleanse itself
Using the kidneys and the liver, your body will naturally ‘detox’ your body without needing assistance from things like weight-loss teas and “detox” cleanses. Your organs unless they do not work properly are already responsible for cleansing your body; there is no magic solution and most of the so called cleansers are simply loaded with laxatives and caffeine.
If you have over indulged or need to do a ‘cleanse,’ the best advice is to consume adequate amounts of vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and water and to cut out or limit processed foods.