Did you know that it would take you 30 minutes to jog off the calories consumed in a medium portion of fast food fries? Despite knowing that fast food and sugary snacks are unhealthy for us, it can still be difficult to purchase and prepare healthier options. If you are looking to make a healthful change in your diet, you can start with just one meal, lunch. Here are 8 tips for healthy eating that you can use to help you pack healthy lunch foods.
- Skip the diet soda. Drinking large amounts can cause cardiovascular problems. Stick to water with lemon, or flavored seltzers with no added sugar.
- Do not neglect exercise. At least 30 minutes Monday through Friday will make a huge difference in combination with a healthy diet.
- Only 75% of Americans choose lower fat food, “sometimes,” so when you have the option, choose foods that are naturally lower in fat, like fruits and vegetables.
- Watch your red meat and dairy intake, as Americans often consume double what is recommended daily.
- The food pyramid is a fairly close representation of what kinds of portions you should aim for, for a healthy diet. Seek out balance, and eat more fruits and vegetables than you do dairy, or meat.
- For healthy lunch ideas, browse online food blogs, especially vegetarian blogs.
- Bringing healthy sack lunches will always be a better option than trying to find healthy food at a restaurant.
- Healthy lunch food is only going to benefit you if you eat it, so try to pack foods that are a compromise between healthful, but enjoyable.
Did you know that one in six people has high cholesterol? The risk for heart attack or stroke increases if you have high cholesterol, so you can reduce your risk of disease and death by committing to a healthier lifestyle. Follow these tips on healthy eating and work with just lunch for a few weeks. Once you have changed one meal successfully to be consistently healthy, then you will in no time be eating healthier foods for every meal!
