My Outlook on Food

Hey guys! 

Just a few tips and tricks I believe in and live by to lead a healthy lifestyle!

• Try to cook your own food from scratch! Some people believe cooking is difficult but in all honesty if you try and follow a recipe it is actually quite easy. Once you get the hang of it, it gets even easier and fun. This option is much better than going for pre-cooked, processed food from your local supermarket. Buying good organic foods when possible and cooking from scratch increases your intake of quality nutrition. Obviously it takes more time compared to buying pre-packed food but treat your body well! Give it the proper care it needs. 
• I'm not a professional by no means but dieting and skipping meals is a big no. I have not tried a specific diet before but I have tried to 'diet' by cutting out unhealthy food completely and eating too little. It is not a long term solution. Let's be realistic, you cannot carry on like that. So I have come to realize that really does not work. I think what works is changing your lifestyle. You need to change the quality of your diet, stick to moderate portion sizes, cook your own food, and exercise. Of course people are different and have different preferences but following simple steps like these would definitely benefit anyone. However only you can decide what is best for you and what kind of lifestyle changes would make you healthier and happy in the long run. 
• Include lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grain food in your diet. These will keep you full for much longer because the body takes longer to digest these foods as they are complex carbohydrates and are high in nutrients such as fiber. However if you eat white carbohydrates and high sugar food, these will be digested very fast leaving you hungry faster. One way to get your daily dose of greens is by eating a salad. Salads are very easy to make and you can add just about anything you like. I love my Grilled Chicken and Quinoa Salad with Lemon dressing. Stay tuned for the recipe! 
• I have learned from my course at university that you should be aware of what you buy from supermarkets. Next time you do your grocery and pick up a product, take one minute to read the list of ingredients. If the list contains many ingredients you have never heard of, I suggest you don't buy it. 
• Try and avoid highly processed, high fat (Trans fat), high sugar products. Purchase of food products with high MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), artificial sweeteners and other additives should be reduced as well. Eat more natural, organic food. 
• Exercise regularly! Even 30 minutes of walking a day is good enough if you are just starting out. I have always been interested in sports and exercising so its a norm for me to head to the gym for 3-4 times a week. Exercising gets your blood pumping and improve your metabolism. So, try to include some form of exercise into your daily activities, whether that's running, heading to the gym, a zumba class or yoga. 
• Sleep well and drink lots of water! 

There you go, this is what I believe and learnt through my course and research. I am not a professional but these are some general steps you can take for a healthier you. Try changing little things at first. Changing your lifestyle is not gonna be easy, so take gradual steps. The more you are physically and mentally healthy, the happier you are!

Hope you enjoyed reading this! 

Cheers,

Thavi