If you ask a group of people what a healthy diet means to them. You will get a different answer each time. Therefore, Healthy Eating in Human matters a lot.
For some, healthy eating means getting into the habit of fast food. Or eating more fruits and vegetables, while for others it can mean occasionally enjoying a piece of cake without guilt.
Still, people with certain medical conditions and even food allergies can imagine a healthy diet in their own unique way.
In short, there is no right answer to what healthy eating means.
Healthy eating is human, and as human beings, we all have different desires and needs, which inevitably affect our food choices.
What’s more, what does healthy eating mean to you that you can change at different stages of your life as you grow and adapt to your changing needs?
This article explores the human side of healthy eating, and I offer my personal tips to make it easier.
Why Healthy Eating Matter a lot
The definition of healthy eating has changed a few times for me in the last few years.
When I was in college, healthy eating was all about following nutritional guidelines and doing everything through the book. However, this means that my view of food on my plate has changed. I went to see the food, I just enjoyed looking at the nutrients.
Suddenly, I went from seeing the traditional Costa Rican gallo pinto or rice and beans to complex carbs and plant-based proteins.
Then, when I started practicing as a nutritionist, the idea that a nutritionist should look a certain way or fit into a certain body type convinced me that healthy eating meant That is, I can accurately measure my diet and what I am using. I will eat whatever I want, as long as I am given an account of the essential nutrients.
Provide your Body optimum Nutrition
I gave my body everything it needed to stay healthy, but healthy food goes beyond nutrition. It’s also about how it makes you feel, and with food being an integral part of the culture and social events, food should be something we enjoy.
Today I have a different way of eating healthy. I am very flexible with my diet, and I think balance is the key to nurturing and being happy with the food.
Healthy eating means that most of the time, I make sure to eat from all the food groups on my plate without measuring anything or thinking based on plants. Animal-based proteins or simple vs. complex carbs.
It also means that I enjoy everything a little bit – including sweets, fast food, and dessert – in moderation and without the need to measure or calculate it.
As you can see, the balance that worked for me was not found overnight. On the contrary, my definition of healthy eating is changing as I go through different stages of my life.
As long as you want to nurture your body and listen to its needs, you can also give meaning to healthy food, because healthy food is for everyone.
Seeing The Bigger Picture
As with many things in life, healthy eating does not always end up as planned.
You may find yourself stuck at work late at night or too tired to prepare a home-cooked dinner, and that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t order takeout and really enjoy it. Lift up
If eating healthy means being flexible with what you eat, you need to learn to adapt, which is not often the case.
In cases where I am choosing food at the moment, I try to choose the best from what I have been given. Whenever I can, I try to get the nearest home-cooked meal or go for a sandwich, salad, or bowl. Healthy Eating in Human is most of the time not followed by many.
Still, sometimes I crave some pizza – so I eat and enjoy it!
At times like these, I remember seeing the big picture. That is, healthy eating is not defined by a single meal, but by the choices we make day in and day out.
A close friend once said to me, “A bad meal will not make you sick, just as a good meal will not make you healthy.”
3 Things I Do That You Could Also Do
As I mentioned above, organization and creativity help me make the best food choices every day. This is because, the way I look at it, healthy eating is a choice we make every time.
For this reason, I try to make the decision-making process as simple as possible when I am choosing food or breakfast. That way, I can continue to choose what works best for me.
Here are three things I do on a daily or weekly basis that make it easier for me to eat healthy.
Meal Prep
Even though it’s May’s sound, it’s really a trick to prepare my food for the week in advance.
Cooking can take a long time, but eating food that only needs to be heated and served allows me to eat one nutritious meal a minute.
One of my tips for preparing meals is to cook a batch of protein usually chicken or any other lean meat-which I can split and freeze for a week and add as needed. I can defrost.
I also make sure to prepare vegetables for the week. That way, I don’t have to think twice before cooking a portion of some salad or vegetables with each meal.
I try to prepare them in different ways so that they don’t get bored and don’t eat them.
For example, when it comes to carrots or zucchini, I would slice, dice, grind, or surpass one of them, all of which would help me easily add it to my diet.
Keep Fruit Within Arm’s Reach
Keeping my fruit visible reminds me to eat fruit during the day.
Research shows that you want to eat more of the foods you have, whether they are fruits or sweets.
I apply this rule daily and choose to display my fruit on a table and store my snacks and sweets.
Follow A Routine
Healthy eating in human is a good thing to know. Although I do not officially plan a weekly menu, I have a specific set of dishes that I stick to at every meal.
For example, my breakfast choices usually include:
Gallo Pinto and a Costa Rican classic of eggs.
Pea toast with peanut butter and one side of eggs.
Oatmeal with fruit.
* Oatmeal pancakes.
The same goes for the rest of my meal and breakfast, where I have at least three different options to choose from without much thought.
Having a default set of dishes that I know saves me time in deciding what I like to eat, and allows me to vary my diet depending on how I want something sweet or delicious.
It’s also very easy for grocery shopping, as you already know what you will get the most out of each meal.
The Bottom Line
We are all human beings who are constantly growing and adapting to change, and so is our concept of healthy eating.
Here I shared with you how the definition of healthy eating has changed for me over the years, the biggest challenge in my healthy eating journey, and my tips and tricks to make healthy eating easier.
However, my path is definitely not the “right path” to healthy eating – or the only way. It only works for me, and it may or may not work for you.
Healthy eating is human, and it seems different to each of us. Consider what you can do in your routine to succeed with healthy eating.
If you’re not sure where to start, consider working with a registered dietitian, as they can help you plan a sustainable, nutritious meal that meets your specific needs. And works for lifestyle.