Simple Tips for Healthy Eating

The common notion is that anything healthy tastes bland and anything that tastes spectacular, well, has to have the bad stuff. Lots of it. And bad stuff will correspond to sugar, fat, cholesterol-anything that gleams, really. That's why we catch ourselves saying we're on a diet just about every other week.

Certainly, you've heard people telling you that healthy eating doesn't have to constitute bland meals and self-deprivation. Most of us never believe in that, really. Many diet books don't help much either, because sometimes their recommendations are too impractical that we end up tossing them to the trash bin instead. But healthy eating doesn't have to be hard, really. Here are a few practical tips.

1. Don't skip meals.

Skipping meals tends to play out on our greed. Most of us can attest to this. When we skip meals, we tend to make up for it in the next meal, eating more than our normal share with the thinking that "I skipped a meal, anyway". This is a bad habit that leads to a lot of subconscious overeating. That aside, it can lead to nasty stomach ulcers and erratic eating habits.

2. Find vegetables that you like

Vegetables don't always have to have the notorious reputation it's gotten as the spoiler of potentially great meals. Find a vegetable that you like (something you'd gladly take in exchange for meat dishes). Jazz up your vegetables with salad dressings or simple glazes like balsamic vinegar or vinaigrettes, and cook them with fruits, cheeses or nuts to enhance their flavors. Never cook your vegetables too long or you'll drain them or their vitamins and they become a soggy mass. Transform vegetables from the usual bland boiled or steamed variety into more interesting dishes, like pies (as filling) or salads. Make a mashed potato, for example, by pureeing steamed cauliflower. Add a single potato to enhance the flavor. You can even puree vegetables together to serve as sauces for meat dishes. Carrots and peas are a good example, and they make for visually enhancing sauces, too. Pureed vegetables also serve up as wonderful, filling soups. Use vegetable stock in dishes over meat stocks whenever you can. Vegetables can actually become main dishes and if you cook them right, they can easily displace the usual dinner steak. Explore different world cuisines, and you'd be surprised at the variety of vegetable preparations there are! Vegetables are light, and they don't leave you feeling heavy and lethargic after even heavy meals.

3. Home cooking is good cooking

Home cooked is always best, because you control the amount of grease you take in, and you can ascertain as to the freshness of the ingredients you use. Spend a little extra for extra virgin olive oil or canola oil, which generally do less harm than corn oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, lard, or shortening. Always get your ingredients fresh, too. Plus, you also have the option of choosing low fat varieties over regular, full fat ones. No time for home cooking? You can always make an effort for that. For the busy bee, there's good turkey breast meat that you can whip up into sandwiches using whole grain breads. Stuff a few vegetables and relishes in and you have lunch to take with you to the office. Always fill up on fruits when you go to the grocery. Fruits are excellent sources of vitamins and fiber, and they can be very handy to take along for a light, convenient snack any time you feel like it. This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "An apple a day keep the doctor away".

4. Watch the sugar

High sugar diets are one of Americans' greatest pitfalls. Processed, manufactured food is available everywhere, is convenient for busy bodies, and is loaded with too much sugar. You can skip the soda for lunch; having water is healthier and it'll help you enjoy your lunch more, rather than having your sugary soda overpower everything. Limit your desserts to one a day, and in manageable portions, too. Try going for as long as you can without dessert, and you can reward yourself every few days-in moderation, of course. Whenever you're craving for a sweet, grab a fruit instead. It's just as good, and it's not evil. Don't keep candies in your bag or pocket-they're a constant temptation and you can easily load up on so much of them without realizing it. Keep away from sugary snacks too, especially when you're in the supermarket. Use sugar substitutes whenever you can.

5. Practice light snacking

During our sedentary moments, we usually get strong urges to constantly nibble on something-anything. Stay away from deep fried goodies like potato chips, or candy coated treats. Try dried fruits, a bit of cheese, trail mixes, or popcorn if you must. Of course, they should also be eaten in moderation, but at least even with the occasional overeating, these aren't as harmful. Popcorn is especially good, because it's a very light snack that you can keep nibbling until you're sated and through with snacking.

6. Pace your meals

When you're stressed out and exhausted, your body will need more nourishment and nutrition, so you may find yourself getting hungry more often and eating more. That's perfectly fine. On sedentary days though, don't eat as much because you don't need it. Eat only when you're hungry and stop once you're full. It's also more manageable to eat small, multiple meals a day, so that you don't find yourself loading up on several huge meals through the day. Slower, paced eating also enhances one's experience of a meal, so you end up getting more satisfaction from it than eating in a hurry would. You won't be craving for more food than what you need.

7. Fish for meat
Fish is much healthier than meat, and they don't have to taste bad at all. A piece of fish steak is as good, if not better, than your Porterhouse steak. It all depends on the cooking. Fish steaks can make for easy, quick meals, minus the mess of having to take out the fish bones. Halibut, sea bass, black cod, tuna, and salmon are some of the varieties you easily get even from your regular supermarket. Just always remember that fish cooks fast. Drop it into a really hot pan and sear it for a few minutes on each side and it's done. You can do simple sauces to enhance the fish, and you have leave to indulge.