How to Start Eating Healthy: 13 Healthy Eating Habits

Eating healthy might sound boring but in fact, it might get appetizing and fun if you know where to start.

In this article, we’ve compiled easy-to-follow instructions to help you start eating healthy and turn it into a life habit along with useful tips from healthy grocery shopping to healthy cooking at home.

What is healthy eating?

Healthy eating refers to the practice of consuming a balanced and nutritious diet that provides the essential nutrients your body needs to function optimally. It involves making thoughtful choices about the types and amounts of foods you eat to support your overall well-being and prevent various health issues.

Here are some key principles of healthy eating:

How do I start eating healthy?

Starting to eat healthy can be a positive and transformative journey, yet it may not be very easy at first. To make healthy eating sustainable and  turn it into a habit, take these 3 steps in the very beginning:

1. Set clear goals: Define your reasons for wanting to eat healthier. Whether it’s improving your energy levels, managing weight, or enhancing overall well-being, having clear goals will keep you motivated.
2. Educate yourself: Learn about the basics of nutrition, food groups, and their vitamins, and the importance of balanced eating. Understand the nutritional value of different foods and how they contribute to your health.
3. Assess your current eating habits: Take an honest look at your current diet. Identify areas where you could make healthier choices, such as reducing sugary snacks or increasing vegetable intake.

13 healthy eating tips to turn it into a habit

Start gradually

Making drastic changes overnight can be overwhelming and unsustainable. Begin by making small, manageable adjustments to your diet. For example, try swapping out sugary beverages for water or adding an extra serving of vegetables to your meals.

 

Have a balance in your plate

The notion that a single food is very healthy and you need to eat it all the time is wrong. Eating healthy starts with integrating balance into your nutrition. When we mention balance, we mean the balance of the macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

To create a balance with the macronutrients, first, you need to understand the basic features and benefits of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

 

Proteins

Protein is a macronutrient that is essential to build muscle mass. Consuming protein after exercise helps the muscles to heal and prevents the loss of lean mass. Lean mass contributes to a muscular and toned appearance.

The recommended daily intake of protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of your body weight. For example, a person who weighs 75 kilograms, should consume 60 grams of protein every day. This amount can vary if you have a very active lifestyle or doing bodybuilding.

Animal products that are rich in proteins are:

• Red meat
• Poultry
• Fish and seafood
• Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir…)
• Eggs

You should also add some plant-based proteins to your diet to prepare balanced meals such as:

• Spinach
• Artichokes
• Green peas
• Broccoli
• Edamame
• Almonds
• Pistachios
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Quinoa

 

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are macronutrients that help the body to recharge and restore its fuel supply. The main purpose of carbohydrates in the diet is to provide energy. Most of them get broken down or transformed into glucose, which can be used as energy. That’s why there should be enough carbohydrates are also important macros as both pre and post-workout meals.

Mayo Clinic suggests that a person’s daily carbohydrate need is about 200-300 calories if you eat 2000 calories a day. This means that 45-65% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates.

You should start taking notes here: The difference between whole and refined carbs is significant. In other terms, there are good carbs and not-so-good carbs.

The ones you should consume are whole carbs and they include:

• Some vegetables (sweet potatoes, corn, beetroot…)
• Fruits (bananas, apples, mangos…)
• Legumes (kidney beans, lentils…)
• Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, oats…)

On the other hand, refined carbs that you should avoid include sugar-sweetened sodas, white bread, pasta, white rice, bakery products, candies, sugary cereals, foods, and drinks with high fructose corn syrup.

 

Fats

Dietary fats are essential to give your body energy and support cell growth. They also help protect your organs and help keep your body warm. Fats help your body absorb some nutrients and produce important hormones, too.

For so many years, fat is cursed and banished from healthy diet plans. But today we know that “balance” is key. We definitely need some fat in our diets too. We just have to know which fat to consume.

The worst type of dietary fats that you should avoid in your diet are trans fats. Processed foods like chips, commercial cakes and cookies, microwave popcorn, frozen pizza, fried food, and margarine contain trans fats.

Instead, you can consume healthy fat coming from nuts, seeds, and fish. Healthy fats are liquid at room temperature, like olive oil or coconut oil.

Plus, contrary to old-school beliefs, fats are beneficial for weight loss and their consumption is especially encouraged on the ketogenic diet.

 

Adopt a sustainable diet

Whether for staying fit and healthy or for losing weight, counting calories and following strict diets are never healthy and will never give you the results you want.

Instead of doing frustrating calculations, adopting a sustainable nutrition system like intermittent fasting that you can do anywhere in the world is a wise choice. Simply choose a fasting plan like 14/10, 16/8, 20/4, or other schedules. Eat according to your taste without counting calories on your eating window and fast for the rest of the time.

As intermittent fasting is not built on following diet lists, you can do it whether you’re following a vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, keto, gluten-free, paleo, or any other type of diet.

Plan your meals

Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. This can help you avoid reaching for unhealthy options when you’re hungry and pressed for time. Include a balance of protein, whole grains, healthy fats, and fruits or vegetables in each meal.

 

Include more fruits and vegetables

Aim to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and they help you feel fuller for longer.

 

Control portion sizes

Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid overeating. Use smaller plates and bowls to help control your portions visually.

 

Cook your meals at home

Cooking your own meals brings along a ton of positive impacts on your health. You have full control over the ingredients and the portions of the meals. Eating fresh and clean food will create a great difference in your general health and weight control.

Plus, as you get used to it, cooking at home becomes more creative, fun, and relaxing, and it also helps you save a lot of money.

To make home cooking easier, doing your grocery shopping wisely gains more importance.

 

Snack wisely

Choose healthy snacks like nuts, yogurt, fruits, or cut-up vegetables. Avoid excessive snacking, and pay attention to portion sizes. Avoid sneaky junk food that seems healthy from the outside but is not as healthy as you think, like fruit juices.

 

Drink plenty of water

Since about 70 percent of the body is made up of water, it is vital to drink plenty of it every day in order to maintain the fluid balance of the body.

Drinking water can help decrease the hunger you feel before meals. It may also increase feelings of fullness following a meal and promote weight loss. It stretches the stomach enough to send signals of fullness to the brain.

Now that you understand how vital water is, how much water you need becomes the main concern. It depends on a lot of things and varies from person to person. For adults, the general recommendation from “The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine” is about: 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day for women, 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) a day for men.

You can increase your water intake with our tips, use Fasting Kompanion‘s water tracker feature to count how much water you have drunk and should drink.

 

Limit processed foods

Minimize consumption of packaged goods that are highly processed. They often contain excessive amounts of added sugars, unhealthy fats, and chemical preservatives.

When buying packaged foods, read the nutrition labels to understand the ingredients and nutritional content. Look for foods with shorter ingredient lists and recognizable ingredients.

 

Practice mindful eating

Slow down and savor your meals. Pay attention to the flavors, textures, and satisfaction you get from each bite. Be mindful of every bite you take.

 

Seek support

Share your healthy eating goals with friends or family members who can support and encourage you. Consider joining online communities or local groups focused on healthy living.

 

Forgive slip-ups

It’s normal to have occasional indulgences or setbacks. Don’t be too hard on yourself; instead, refocus on your goals and continue making progress.

How to do healthy grocery shopping

Create a shopping list based on your planned meals. Stick to the list to avoid impulse buying of unhealthy foods. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, where fresh produce, lean proteins, and whole grains are usually located.

Implementing these steps gradually into your lifestyle will make a lasting effect on your personal health journey.

• Plan what you’ll cook for the week ahead.
• Check the status of the current ingredients in your fridge and identify the shortcomings.
• Depending on how many people will eat the food you will cook, make a list of how much of each ingredient you need to buy.
• Look up the seasonal fruits and vegetables of your region and try to buy more of them. Preferably buy local products.
• Don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach and try to stick with your shopping list.
• Read the nutrition facts labels of the products and try to avoid ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, partially hydrogenated oil, food colorings, potassium bromate, trans fats, and monosodium glutamate, etc.)

To sum up

Bear in mind that switching to healthier eating choices is a process and it may take some time to adapt to it. Don’t be too hard on yourself and don’t stress it out. Always remember that stress is the primary contributor to diseases.

Implementing these steps gradually into your lifestyle will make a lasting effect on your personal health journey.