A lot of people ask me what to eat and how to keep a healthy diet.  As we start a new year, I thought it would be a good time for some quick and easy guidelines to keep a well maintained and healthy diet.

One of the most important things to remember is that it is really crucial to feed or "fuel" your body all day long.  You need to be eating at least six small meals a day. The problem with eating only three meals or less is when you don't feed your body, it goes into a starvation mode.  When you do finally eat, your body will store whatever you feed it.  This slows your metabolism down, which can cause weight gain.  You need to remember to eat before you feel hunger pains.  When you wait to eat until you feel really hungry, people tend to overeat.  You also need to give your body time to realize it is full.  Eating slower and taking a break about half way through your meal will give your body the time it needs to feel full.  It usually takes your body about twenty minutes to feel full.  When you do this, you will notice that you may not be eating as much as you used to.   Not only do you need to remember to eat every couple of hours, you need to eat the right things, which brings me to my next point.

What works for me is to keep my diet balanced with protein and carbohydrates and to stay away from anything that is white.  For example: white rice, pasta, potatoes and other starches like that.  These foods will essentially turn into sugar in your body, which will turn into fat.  What's great is that you can substitute things like brown rice, sweet potato, and whole grain pasta for the “white” starches.  There are many substitutions out there with the popularity of low-carb diets.  All you need to do is be willing to try them and figure out which foods work for you. Fruits and vegetables are great, but don’t overdo the fruits, since they are high in sugar, which turn into carbohydrates.   Some vegetables have more health benefits than others, usually leafy green vegetables are best.  Things like carrots and corn have higher amounts of sugar than other vegetables, but they are definitely both great in moderation. 

Another important part of my diet is making sure that I put something in my stomach as soon as I wake up, preferably something high in protein.  I like to drink a protein shake, but if you don't want to make a shake, any kind of protein is good.  Foods like eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese are also great ways to start off your morning.   I try to eat my last meal of the day before 7:00 pm.  It is best not to feed your body late at night, try to stop eating at least hours before you go to bed. 

As I have mentioned in a previous article, keeping yourself hydrated is a key part of a healthy diet.   If you're going to drink alcohol, make sure to drink a glass of water in-between each drink to keep your body hydrated.  I also recommend drinking soy or skim milk instead of whole or 2% milk.  Try to stay away from soda and juices that are high in sugar.  It’s easy to be fooled with all of the juices available, just read the labels and if sugar or fructose is one of the first five ingredients it’s probably best to stay away from it.  If in doubt….drink water!

So now that you have some guidelines, you can start to improve your eating habits!  If you feel overwhelmed by all these sudden changes you are making to your diet, start slow.  Take one task at a time.  Eating well and following simple guidelines isn’t always easy at first, you need to take the time to let your body and your lifestyle adjust.  But once you get a system down for yourself not only will you feel healthier, but you’ll look great too!