Food Habits Play a Vital Role in Losing Excess Flab
The word ‘diet’ conjures up images of meagre portions of bland food. In reality, what you eat comprises your diet. It may be healthy or unhealthy, depending on the constituents of the food in your plate.
People often confuse ‘thinness’ with ‘fitness’. Being rail thin does not automatically mean that one is healthy. In the quest for a thin body, people end up starving themselves or keeping away from carbohydrates, sugars and fats. However, eating a balanced diet comprising all the major food groups is the key to a healthy body. Take a cue from these tips on good food habits to inculcate:
1. Eat every fruit and vegetable. The beauty of nature is that every fruit and vegetable has nutritive value. While some are loaded with vitamins, others pack in antioxidants, and still others might possess a lot of fibre. Make it a point to include fresh raw fruits and vegetables in your diet every day and watch your excess weight reduce.
2. Keep away from sugar and salt. The kidneys find it difficult to process sugar, oil and salt. Excessive amounts of these substances exert the kidneys to a large extent. Use just enough in your food to add taste, while reducing the amount of sugar in your tea and coffee. It is a good idea to switch to artificial sweeteners to cut your calorie intake drastically.
3. Tank up on water. Water has tremendous health benefits. It not only quenches your thirst, it also helps reduce weight. Drinking warm water with a dash of lemon is said to help in weight loss by aiding fat burn. Meanwhile, you can drink a glass of water just before your meal to reduce your appetite and eat smaller portions. Water keeps the body hydrated, cooled and clear of toxins and oxidants.
4. Have a hearty breakfast. The old adage about ‘Eat breakfast like a king’ holds true when you’re trying to lose weight. People make the fundamental mistake of skipping breakfast because they believe that if they eat less, they will weigh less. However, starving the body early in the morning slows down digestion so that the body may conserve fat cells for energy in case the starvation period continues for a while. Hence, missing breakfast can actually result in weight gain!
5. Match diet with exercise. It is not enough to merely eat healthy meals – your weight loss efforts must be matched with an hour of daily exercise. Exercise helps shed excess weight, makes you sweat and pumps up your heart. In turn, food is digested faster and better. Try a mix of cardio and strength training for the best results.
In conjunction to the above, you need one more thing to complete your health regime – taking personal health insurance. A health plan will keep you in good stead for the times that you need medical treatment. With a balanced diet, sufficient rest and plenty of exercise, you can enjoy good health for a long time to come. But you can sweeten the deal by taking a personal health insurance policy for yourself.
