Healthy Eating Habits to Prepare you for Winter

As autumn is almost giving way to the harsh winds of winter, diet is an important factor for a healthy daily lifestyle. Writer Justin Sedor suggests that it may be easier to follow healthy resolutions in a hospitable weather. Based on this he points out a few tiny tips that have an almost instant effect on the improvement of your healthy eating habits.

We know that sugar, the least healthy ingredient out there, is one of the determining ingredients when it comes to obesity and heart disease. Americans consume way above the normal quantities – about 22 teaspoons of sugar added in a day. That is the equivalent of 350 calories. The American Heart Association recommends for women to consume a maximum of six teaspoons – 100 calories and for men no more than nine teaspoons – 150 calories a day in order to decrease the risk of heart disease. However much of this added sugar comes from processed or packaged foods. Avoiding those foods which contain sugar listed as one of the main ingredients or any sugar substitutes, can lower the overall intake of sugar and have great benefit for your health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you carry a bottle of water and drink even before you get thirsty. Among other healthy benefits, water consumption can help your body maintain a normal temperature, keep your joints lubricated, protect the spinal cord and clear out toxins. Many restaurants serve higher quantities of food than what is recommended for a single person. Make sure you do not overeat, especially those high-caloric foods which can alter your calorie intake. You can always bring home what you won’t consume and make another meal out of it.

Don’t go for chips if hunger strikes you between meals. A fruit or a vegetable is far better. You can eat a reasonable portion of fruit or vegetables by putting them in a bowl or a plate so you can see the quantity. Storing less healthy snacks out of sight or in places which are harder to reach might just help you fight your impulse to snack. Never go shopping on an empty stomach. This way you will not be tempted to purchase unhealthy snacks. Make a list of healthy products and stick to it, no matter what.