9 PROVEN WAYS TO BEAT HIGH CALORIE DIETS AND STAY HEALTHY

In today’s fast paced world, the eating habits have shifted dramatically over time. Time is a precious commodity and in order to save time, more and more people are shifting to instant foods which are high calorie diets in nature. Rather than spend time in preparing and cooking conventional meals, it is time saving in nature.

This shift to higher calorie diets, are one of the major causes listed by the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) as the primary factor that leads to chronic diseases, which are non-communicable in nature, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

A healthy diet along with other lifestyle factors are an essential requirement for avoiding chronic diseases. Recent studies point out that certain chronic diseases, though non-communicable, have certain genetic traits that are passed on to the next generation.

To avoid these diseases, managing a healthy lifestyle through healthy habits is critical. This article goes through tried and tested strategies for avoiding the chronic diseases that are primarily caused by a high-calorie diet and an unhealthy lifestyle.

THE RIGHT CHOICE OF FOODS IS ALL THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

The body derives its energy requirements and its set of nutrients from the foods that we eat and therefore a well-balanced diet rich that is rich in essential nutrients in the correct proportions such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals forms the crux of a healthy lifestyle. The stronger the foundation the healthier is the body going to be. An imbalance of nutritional requirements in the body can cause imbalances in the body’s processes, and could also cause lifestyle related diseases in the long term.

HIGH CALORIE DIETS ARE THE # 1 ENEMY OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

The main risk that is associated with chronic diseases are high calories that are present in the body which are not being utilized properly. The body measures the energy requirement in the form of calories and the excess calories that are unused are stored as reserves or fats.

These reserves, derived from eating the high calorie diets, if not used over a period of time, lead to obesity, which is one of the factors responsible for chronic heart disease. Reducing the dependence on high calorie foods and substituting them with healthier options can make a big difference for migrating to a healthy lifestyle.

Though the consumption of these foods cannot be avoided all together, as we do not have the time and the resources to source each and every ingredient, moderating its consumption can definitely make a difference in the maintenance of a healthy body weight and in reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

WATCH OUT FOR HOW MUCH YOU ARE EATING

Besides watching out for the type of food that you are eating, managing a healthy lifestyle also requires that you need to focus on the quantity of food to eat. Every human body has been designed in a different manner and has different nutritional requirements. Therefore awareness about your own body’s requirements is an important factor in the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle.

The quantity of the food that we eat is also another important aspect for preventing diseases in the body. The body’s systems have a certain capacity to absorb the nutrients and any excess over and above that is treated as waste and a part of it is stored as reserve in the body.

Caloric Reduction in the body can also the number of calories consumed can be achieved by reducing the food portions yet eating healthy at the same time. Overeating and binge eating habits are also equally responsible for abusing and damaging the digestive system of the body as they cause excessive pressure on the capacity of the digestive process.

the level of water in the body is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle

Hydration is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle that is often overlooked as a tool for maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Water is an important ingredient in the digestive process and the maintenance of the excretory system of the body.
Drinking adequate water can aid in the removal of toxins from the body in the form of urine and faeces. Besides, it is also an important factor for the maintenance of a healthy weight in the body as it acts as a filler for the calorie consumption in the body leading to eating less and automatically reducing the calorie consumption.

increase the fibre intake in the body

Fibre is another necessary ingredient for the maintenance of a healthy digestive system and for the prevention of chronic diseases to a certain extent. Dietary fibre is a type of non-digestible carbohydrate that is found in certain food categories like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Eating fibre-rich foods as a part of a healthy eating plan can help feel fuller for longer and prevent overeating as the fibre content in the food acts as a filler for the calories that the body consumes for its energy requirements.

do remember to include healthy fats in your diet plan

The word “fat” itself has earned a bad name in nutritional circles for the simple reason that most of the people are not educated and aware about certain information regarding the nutritional aspects of fats. It is not that all fats are unhealthy, as they are painted to be.

It is the trans-fats that are the bad fats that increase the levels of cholesterol in the body, which is a high risk factor that is responsible for blockages in the arteries, which could cause heart attacks. Healthy fats are an important nutritional requirement for the body as such.

They are found in a variety of healthy foods and so called “super foods” such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil. Healthy fats help in maintaining the levels of good cholesterol and reducing the levels of bad cholesterol that can help in weight management and reduce the risk of occurrence of chronic diseases in the body.

Related: The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Cholesterol

ACT NOW BY MOVING YOUR BUTT AROUND

The body’s maintenance manual for a healthy lifestyle also includes physical activity as one of the critical aspects for weight management and keeping the body free from the occurrence of chronic diseases. Experts recommend a moderate intensity exercise regimen of at 30 per day for the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle.

Cardio specific activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, and jogging are all excellent ways to improve your health and well-being as they are inexpensive in nature and do not require any specific time to perform them unlike strength building activities which require investments in the form of equipment or membership of a gym plan. Even a simple, no brainer activity like taking a flight of stairs up and down can burn up-to 200 calories, without having to work for it!

rest is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle

The body is also a form of a machine and it also requires its share of rest. The biggest cause of a unhealthy lifestyle is the abuse that most of us mete out to the body’s internal clock, whether it the food or the sleep patterns.
With the changing fast paced lifestyles that we are leading right now, our sleep patterns have been hijacked by our smart phones and the blue screens.

Sleep is an important aspect for overall health and well-being that has often been overlooked as a part of living a healthy lifestyle. Sleep deprivation or sudden changes in sleep patterns have also been identified as the primary causes for leading to overeating and obesity, besides certain neurological disorders like dementia, particularly in the later stages of life.

Lack of sleep due to unhealthy sleeping habits and rising levels of stress have also been attributed as one of the leading causes for a rise in chronic diseases in the present time all over the world. As per the body’s internal clock, which is different for each type, the general recommendation is a sound sleeping pattern of at least 7-8 hours in order to manage the body’s systems in an effective manner and for the body to rejuvenate and recover its energy levels.

stress the silent lifestyle killer on the prowl

High levels of stress has been linked to fluctuating levels of blood pressure in the body that impact the functions of the heart. One of the important functions of the heart is the blood circulation in the body and pumping the blood. If there is an excessive rise in the pressure of the blood, the heart beats increase, which cause a heart attack.

The blood pressure in the body is affected by the flow of blood in the body. Have you ever noticed that your heart beats faster immediately after you have returned from a jogging session or having run around for some time? A sudden increase in the blood pressure levels can have serious consequences for your health and well-being.

Excessive levels of stress impacts your blood pressure levels, particular as the body ages in the normal course of life. Therefore stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing have an important role to play in the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and the management of chronic diseases.

moderate the consumption of processed foods for a healthy lifestyle

There are two dangerous ingredients present in processed foods besides certain other harmful ingredients, which if consumed for a longer period of time, could be the cause of chronic diseases like heart attack and certain types of cancers. Compared to natural foods, the processed variety of foods are not only high in calories while being low in nutrients, at the same time, they contain other ingredients with a high level of processed sugar or sodium in some form or another.

Excessive levels of processed sugar and sodium found in the blood are the primary causes of diseases like blood pressure and diabetes. Making a choice of unprocessed foods, green vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains as part of a diet plan increase the longevity and keep the body free from chronic diseases for a longer period of time.

nothing tastes sweeter and feels healthier than home cooked food

Developing a lifestyle of habit of preparing your own food at home, rather than eating outside food, as one of the healthy lifestyle habits not only helps save money, but also health in the long term. You have the choice and the control over the ingredients that go into the preparation of the food, when you cook your meals at home.

When you order food at restaurant or fast-food chain, no matter how tasty they may be, you are not aware about the nutritional aspects of the ingredients that they use as a part of cooking the food. The advantage that you have while preparing home-made meals, is that you can control the calorie consumption that the body requires, which is one of the main aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Besides you also have the advantage of tantalising your taste buds by modifying the tastes according your requirements, and eating healthy at the same time.

kick the bottle and snub out the white butt

Smoking and drinking are two lifestyle habits that drain your health and your wealth, at the same time making others rich. The ingredients in your favourite brand of cigarettes and cigars, including nicotine are harmful for your health at the expense of the manufacturers. Tobacco has been identified as the one of the leading causes of cancer, particularly of the lungs and the mouth.

Alcohol contains high levels of empty calories that are low in nutrients. Excessive alcohol consumption increases your risk of developing chronic diseases such as liver disease, cancer, and heart disease. Alcohol consumption for a healthy individual could be moderate. The average recommended limit of alcohol consumption by the American Heart Association is limited to one daily drink for women and two drinks for men. However, the levels of alcohol consumption also depend on your body type and your age, besides other factors.

in conclusion

In conclusion, lifestyle management requires the formation of habits that the brain can follow in an automatic manner. For adopting healthy choices and strategies, the brain can be trained for following a set of healthy habits whether it is the eating habits or controlling sleep patterns.

The development of these habits takes time and commitment. On the journey one needs to be patient and persistent to push himself and should develop the courage to make tough choices that are difficult to make, in the beginning, but give results in the long term. Once the habits are set on an auto mode, they become a part and parcel of a healthy lifestyle that leads to over happiness and longevity to life in the long term.