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We should all eat a healthy, balanced diet. This is something that we’re all aware of. However, all too many of us are still eating unhealthy, unbalanced meals that are having a negative impact on our overall health and wellbeing. If you’re looking to turn this around and improve your diet as a whole, the following information should help to get you started out on the right path to creating a healthy balanced diet!

There are all sorts of reasons for not having a healthy diet. Some people don’t know much about nutrition and think that they already eat healthily. Others don’t realize just how bad a poor diet can be for them. Many others just focus on convenience and look for fast convenient foods, such as takeaways or ready meals due to a tight schedule, not recognizing that these foods are ultra-processed and packed with excess salts, sugars, and unhealthy vegetable oils.

What to Eat for a Balanced Diet

A healthy, balanced diet should include all the micronutrients and macronutrients:

  • Micronutrients are essential elements needed to have optimal health, such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
  • Macronutrients are chemical compounds that provide energy and are needed in largest quantities to survive, grow, and reproduce, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
  • Water must be also consumed in large quantities but does not provide caloric value

A balanced diet will include a variety of foods from all the macronutrient groups:

  • Carbs: diverse fruits, vegetables, and maybe dairy products, legumes and whole grains
  • Protein foods: a variety of fish, meat, and poultry
  • Fats: a range of good fats such as avocados, olive oil, butters, nuts, and seeds

Manage Your Calorie Count

The first thing you need to know to have a healthy balanced diet is your caloric needs. Your caloric need or Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) is based on your gender, age, and activity level. Reaching your recommended calorie count will ensure that you’re giving your body sufficient fuel but not overeating.

Check out the guidelines below created by The Institute of Medicine to have a concrete idea of how many calories you should be eating.

GenderAge (years)SedentarybModerately ActivecActived
Child2-31,0001,000-1,4001,000-1,400
Female4-8
9-13
14-18
19-30
31-50
51+
1,200
1,600
1,800
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400-1,600
1,600-2,000
2,000
2,000-2,200
2,000
1,800
1,400-1,800
1,800-2,200
2,400
2,400
2,200
2,000-2,200
Male4-8
9-13
14-18
19-30
31-50
51+
1,400
1,800
2,200
2,400
2,200
2,000
1,400-1,600
1,800-2,200
2,400-2,800
2,600-2,800
2,400-2,600
2,200-2,400
1,600-2,000
2,000-2,600
2,800-3,200
3,000
2,800-3,000
2,400-2,800

You should use this guide taking into consideration your activity level: Sedentary (people only engaging in light physical activity associated with day-to-day life), Moderately Active (a lifestyle engaging in physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, plus the light physical activity associated with day-to-day life), and Active (a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, plus the light physical activity associated with day-to-day life).

Individuals with a healthy BMI should aim to hit the daily recommended calories for them. If you have a high or low BMI, you may need to adjust the number of calories you consume.

Consider Supplements

Besides, taking into consideration your caloric needs, you need to take a hard look into your diet and nutrition content. Many say that our soils nowadays do not provide all the nutrients they used to years ago. Plus, the overuse of toxic pesticides and herbicides sprayed in our food counteracts the food’s nutrient density. Additionally, many people struggle to eat all the foods needed to get all of the vitamins and minerals needed in the diet.

For all the reasons described above, a great solution is supplementing. Supplements help incorporate the nutrients you need into your diet in a fast, easy, and reliable way. However, it’s important to buy high-quality supplements from reliable brands, such as axe and sledge which can help address all your dietary needs.

Create Meal Plans

Another way of having a healthy and balanced diet is by planning your meals ahead. Meal planning can really help you start improving your food choices. Taking the time to plan a healthy meal can help you avoid less healthful selections. Sometimes, people end up eating junk foods out of convenience, and because of lack of planning, they end up eating last-minute, readily available options.

Make sure to come up with a meal plan that suits your tastes and ensures that it incorporates all of the necessary food groups. Investing in some good-quality tupperware can help since you can cook your meals in bulk. Then, you can have lunches and other meals lined up and waiting to go in the fridge or freezer. Having healthy meals all planned and prepped, also, takes the stress out of your dinner menu.

Unfortunately, many people have a hard time figuring out their meals to get the results they want in regards to their health or body composition. If that’s the case, you should get personalized recommendations from a professional so you have a meal plan designed for your individual goals and needs. Or you can get a meal delivery service that provides wholesome organic meals.

These steps describe above may seem simple, but that just highlights how nonsensical it is to avoid adding them into your routine! They really can make all the difference to help you have a healthy diet, so why not give them a go?

To a Fitter Healthier You,

Adriana Albritton

The Fitness Wellness Mentor

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