Healthy Eating Tips

• · Read food labels. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t eat it.
• · Eat mainly fruits and vegetables, preferably fresh. (Graze throughout the day… try to pack nuts and fruit with you when you go to work so you always have something healthy to nibble on)
• · If you are an omnivore, try to eat meat raised humanely and without antibiotics. Also, eat meats with lower fat content such as fish, chicken, and lamb. Lean beef is also a good choice, however, pork is very high in fat. Best to not eat pork too often. Remember that one serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards… American culture puts too much emphasis on protein consumption. What most people do not realize is that the American diet gets too much protein!
• · Eat complex carbohydrates (carbs) instead of simple carbs. For example: White bread is enriched wheat flour (processed, simple carbs). Whole wheat bread is not enriched and therefore has a higher fiber content and lower carb content (unprocessed, complex carbs). Eat brown rice instead of white rice. Eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Eat quinoa and whole wheat cous- cous.
• · Weight loss is calories in versus calories out. If you want to lose weight, you have to consume fewer calories than you burn in a day. This puts you at a calorie deficit and, therefore, helps you lose weight. Remember that healthy weight loss is between 1-2 pounds per week.
• · Limit your intake of salt and sugar.
• · Your last meal of the day should be the smallest.
• · Never skip breakfast! It truly is the most important meal of the day.
• · Remember that carbohydrates are not the enemy. Our ancestors ate a mainly carbohydrate-based diet. We are designed to consume mostly fruits and veggies (which are categorized as carbs).