After getting married and having two kids, my husband,  Andrew and I realized how important it was to have proper self-care to be able to be our best selves.

What we found was eating healthy sets not only a good standard for our kids but also is a great way to take better care of ourselves.

With that being said, Andrew and I would like to invite you to join the 4-WEEK HEALTHY EATING CHALLENGE we put together. Because we believe that you are what you eat, and you deserve to live a healthy lifestyle.

Eating healthy is the first small step that everyone can take to help take better care of themself.

The tips you will find below in this post will be in the Self-Care: Healthy Eating Ebook we are giving you as well.  Not only that but also inside the Ebook, we included our favorite recipes from famous chefs and bloggers around the world, a total of 28 healthy recipes from salads, green juices, smoothies and snacks, packed in one book.

get your EBOOK

SELF-CARE:
FIFTEEN HEALTHY EATING TIPS 

Tip #1: Cook Your Meals

I love cooking my meals with my husband. It’s such a fun and great way to stay healthy. When you prepare your meals, you know what’s going into your food and how much. Also, you are learning new dishes to make and, after some practice, can make your food taste more delicious than eating out. 

Research done by PubMed, found out that making home-cooked meals promotes better mindfulness, allows you to choose higher quality ingredients and connect with your loved ones. It found that adolescents who cooked meals with their families every week were less likely to get into trouble with drugs and alcohol. 

Tip #2: Drink Plenty of Water

I can’t say enough how important it is to drink plenty of water. Not only is it vital for your life, but it helps to keep your body working correctly. Drinking lots of water helps to flush out impurities, makes you feel fuller, and has zero calories. Always try to have water with your meals, as this is a great way to cut carbs from high-calorie drinks such as processed juices and sodas. 

According to Medical News Today, drinking water has several benefits. Water helps to deliver oxygen to your body, boosts skin health and beauty, flushes body waste, and it helps to maintain blood pressure. They go on to say that by drinks 8-10 glasses of water a day helps boost performance during exercise and helps with weight loss.

Tip #3: Eat Smaller Portions 

A straightforward trick to healthy eating is to eat smaller portions of food. The old saying is true that your eyes are bigger than your stomach. By having only a half portion when eating out or making smaller portions at home, you are reducing the number of calories and choosing to eat healthier. 

In an article by ConsumerReports.org, when presented with a large portion of food makes you more likely to eat all the food on your plate even if you are not that hungry. They say, “Serve yourself less food, and you’ll eat less, and lose weight as a result.”

Tip #4: Choose a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables

I love eating fruits and vegetables as they are not only healthy for you but taste delicious when you prepare it right. Having a variety of fruits and vegetables is a great way to get different vitamins and minerals in your diet, and looks beautiful when cooking. 

According to Sharecare.com, by eating a variety of fruits and vegetable, you are giving your body more vitamins to be nourished. They say that by eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, you dramatically decrease your chances of dying early by 53%!

Tip #5: Don’t Go for Food When Stressed

This is something that affects a lot of people, including my husband and I. When you start feeling a little stressed, try to stop yourself from eating that bag of chips or plate of cookies. A little self-control and finding something else to deal with your stress will keep you on the path to healthier eating. 

On Helpguide.org, they say, “Compounding the problem, you stop learning healthier ways to deal with your emotions, you have a harder and harder time controlling your weight, and you feel increasingly powerless over both food and your feelings.”

Tip #6: Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With Healthy Snacks Like Fruits and Nuts

A great way of dealing with stress eating is substituting unhealthy foods with fruits and nuts. Nuts are high in protein and low in calories, while fruits have lots of natural sugars that are much better for you than refined, processed snacks. 

According to Feelgoodco-op.org.uk, Not only are Nuts are high in fiber and a good source of protein, minerals, and vitamins, but they contain essential fatty acids, which the body needs for good health, and monounsaturated fat, which helps to lower cholesterol. They go on to say that eating dried fruits “are rich in easily absorbed fruit sugar, which has an alkaline reaction and neutralize the acids formed in the body by foods such as meat and eggs.”

Tip #7: Read Labels

When my husband and I go shopping, we always read labels to make sure what’s inside the food we are about to buy. You will be surprised by what’s inside the food you get at the store. Try going for foods that have ingredients you can pronounce and know what it is. A good rule of thumb, the lesser the ingredients, the better. 

On Nurishinyeractive.com, they say that “food labels can help you limit the amount of fat, sugar, and cholesterol in your diet by making it easy for you to compare one food item with another and choose the one with lower amounts. Conversely, you can use food labels to find food items higher in vitamins, fiber, and protein.”

Tip #8: Choose Healthy Fats 

You might think, why chooses fat at all? Isn’t it bad and should cut it out completely? Not exactly, healthy fats are essential for a functioning immune system and provide support to your joints. Eating healthy fats found in nuts and avocados are great substitutes for fried oils and saturated fat.

According to Heldguide.org, Healthy fats, “Lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Lower bad LDL cholesterol levels, while increasing good HDL. Prevent abnormal heart rhythms. Lower triglycerides associated with heart disease and fight inflammation.” 

Tip #9: Eat Lean Meats

When eating a healthy diet, choosing lean meats is vital. Find meats that have little to no fat and pick for skinless chicken. By doing this, you are reducing your intake of saturated fat, which is the most unhealthy fat you can consume. 

Medicinenet.com, says that lean meats are loaded with complete protein. They’re rich in iron. They’re a good source of B vitamins, particularly B12. They contain less saturated fat than higher-fat cuts of meat.

Tip #10: Adopt the Mediterranean Diet 

I love trying different kinds of foods and diets, and having a Mediterranean diet is perfect for healthy eating. It consists of seafood, which is high in omega-three fatty acids and fresh vegetables. By limiting your carbs, you are allowing your body to burn fat and regulate your fat intake to more healthy levels. 

In an article by Helpguide.org, “A Mediterranean diet can help fight against heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, and cognitive decline.” They go on to say that a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Tip #11: Eat Slow 

Eating slow is such a great technique that works wonders. When you eat, trying taking a bite of your food and waiting until your thoroughly chew and swallow your bite. By doing this, you are reducing the chance of overeating and keeping your calorie intake stable. 

According to Precisionnutrition.com, “The benefits of slow eating include better digestion, better hydration, easier weight loss or maintenance, and greater satisfaction with our meals. Meanwhile, eating quickly leads to poor digestion, increased weight gain, and lower satisfaction.”

Tip #12: Plan Your Meals 

Almost every week, my husband and I always plan out our meals so we know exactly what we need to buy when we go grocery shopping. It not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but saves you money at the grocery store because you know what you need to purchase and how much. Also, planning out your meals helps you to understand what your going to have and make sure you don’t overeat.

In an article by Beaumont.org, planning your meals helps you to learn portion control, eat healthier, save money, save time, and avoid wasting food. Not only that, “Planning meals and snacks ahead of time increase the chance for success, it increases the likelihood a healthier food choice will be made.”

Tip #13: Don’t Go Hungry 

This one might sound strange, but what I mean is don’t go too long without eating. When you are starving, you tend to eat more food, then you should. Going hungry can lead to extra calories and disrupts a balanced immune system. You want to eat regular, small portion meals to keep your body in balance and functioning well.  

According to Piedmont.org, “Skipping meals can also cause your metabolism to slow down, which can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight.” They also note that your body starts craving food and increase your chances of overeating.

Tip #14: Don’t Shop When You are Hungry  

You might have done this before, but when shopping for food while hungry makes you get more food than you need. It also makes you buy foods that aren’t good to eat. It’s always a good idea to go grocery shopping on a full stomach and prepare a list so that you save both money and time. 

According to a study confirmed by livescienc.com, “grocery shopping when your stomach is rumbling is probably not a good idea. To hungry shoppers, high-calorie foods may be more tempting than usual, the researchers said.” They asked 68 people to go without eating for 5 hours before online grocery shopping. Half of the participants were allowed to snack before shopping. They found that by being hungry, you were more likely to pick higher-calorie foods.

Tip #15: Shop at the Farmers’ Market

I love going to farmer’s markets when I can because it’s a great way to support your local community and eat nourishing foods. Also, it’s a great way to explore other kinds of fruits and vegetables you have never seen and to eat produce that’s in season. 

In an article on Farmersmarketcoalition.org, shopping at a farmers market supports healthy communities while promoting sustainability. By shopping at a farmer’s market, you learn directly from the source how to cook the food you bought and what benefits they provide. 

inside the EBOOK

Share with me:

What are your personal healthy eating tips?

There are more ways to start taking care of yourself, and healthy eating is one of them. If you want to know more about self-care, visit this SELF-CARE 101 post to learn more.

You might also like this Hydration Challenge as well, check it out!

I hope this post helpful and gets you into a healthy living lifestyle mindset. There are more exciting topics I will be sharing here in my future posts. Stay tuned for more fun & healthy eating tips!

Thank you for stopping by All About Good Vibes.

See you again soon.