After plenty of bad publicity for unhealthy food products and their effects on the human body, many Americans are trying to make healthier lifestyle choices. Healthcare professionals and nutritionists are quick to recommend both a healthy diet and an exercise routine. But, some people think they can simply hit the gym extra hard after downing a greasy burger.
While it’s perfectly acceptable to treat yourself from time to time, maintaining a healthy diet is more important than you may think. In fact, weight loss revolves around roughly 75 percent nutrition and 25 percent exercise. This means what you put into your body holds more value than the number of hours you spend on the treadmill.
But with so many processed snacks readily available, it’s easy to give into temptation and live off of foods that offer poor nutritional value. Luckily, new research has given us more insight into nutrition and weight loss. Here are three simple ways to stick to a healthier diet.
1. Snack before grocery shopping: Shopping on an empty stomach can easily lead you to purchase much more food—particularly sugary or salty foods to satisfy cravings—than you intended. Rather, eat an apple or a small salad before heading to the grocery store. Eating a healthy snack first helps put you in the mindset of wholesome foods, steering you toward smarter choices.
2. Keep food out of sight: While studies have shown that the homes of both obese individuals and non-obese individuals contain roughly the same amount of food, there is one key difference. In the homes of non-obese individuals, food is kept only in the kitchen and put away in cabinets and/or the pantry. In the homes of obese individuals, food is distributed to multiple locations throughout the home and kept in plain sight. This shows us that you may be able to reduce temptation simply by keeping your food behind closed doors.
3. Stick to water: We’ve all heard that sugary sodas, juices and energy drinks aren’t good for us. But new studies show that consuming beverages that contain fructose corn syrup can increase your risk of heart disease after only two weeks. Drop these drinks and stick to pure water. It’s what your body needs to stay healthy, and it won’t contribute to weight gain or poor heart health.
Boosting your nutrition is not only great for your health, but it can also contribute to lower healthcare expenses. After all, with improved health, you can make fewer trips to the doctor.
Your health is our priority. Call Allen Harmon Insurance at (269) 441-5156 for more information on Battle Creek health insurance.