The Simple Diet

Having and maintaining a healthy diet can be overwhelming today because of all of the different diet regimens, food products, and supplements out there in the market place. There is so much that it could make one’s head spin, and yet others may find it easier to just give up and eat what’s comfortable, whether that’s a frozen dinner or take out. But eating right doesn’t have to be hard, confusing, or even bland. It can be rather easy if you think of the word simple.

Foods that look simple, are simple to make, and have simple ingredients, are usually the best choices when it comes to eating right. They usually have only a few ingredients to them and usually don’t take long to cook. But how can you make simple choices in the complex world of food stores and restaurants?

The best way to make these choices is to start with some research on the food. You can accomplish this by reading the labels of the products. Some people may find this time consuming when you are at a store with little ones, but it doesn’t have to be. Most products today are trying to go “organic”, “green”, or “all natural” and that part of the label will usually stand out somehow on the box or even in the aisles. Reading the contents of the package is also helpful when keeping your diet simple.

I find as a general rule of thumb, that if that ingredient list is long, it’s probably not a simple food. A long list will most likely contain huge amounts of additives and preservatives that could be bad for you or even make you more hungry or thirsty, and that’s not great for any diet. The shorter the list, the better the food is for you, because it will have the vitamins you need naturally.

Now, I know what you must be thinking, so how do I accomplish a simple diet at a restaurant or fast food joint? Well, even these places have changed with the times and are listing simple foods on their menus as well as providing a list of how many ingredients, calories, and sodium is in the particular food of choice. Another general rule of thumb when scanning calories and sodium, is that less is best. Excessive sodium can not only make you thirsty, it can build up in your body and lead to an unhealthy heart or even cholesterol level. Excessive calories could lead to being over weight or at the very least, make you feel bloated.

Now, there is one very important thing to remember when it comes to eating right. You need to cheat on your diet every once in a while. Sweets, burgers with fries, and potato chips really do have a place in any diet, including a simple one. There is nothing terribly wrong with eating ice cream, unless you consume too much of it. Too much of anything isn’t good for anyone and if you keep every food in mind and realize that you can eat in moderation, your diet can be successful and healthy.

Each food that you eat should come from one of the basic food groups and sweets are in the basic pyramid. Fruits, vegetables, grains, meats and dairy are all important to a simple and healthy diet. If you have one of each of these groups in each of your meals, you are eating healthy. For instance, lasagna, could be prepared with all of the food groups in mind. Ground turkey, hamburger, or chicken can be browned and added to your pasta sauce for your meat group.

The pasta sauce contains tomatoes, which are from the fruit group, and vegetables can be added to the sauce for your vegetable group. The cheese is part of the dairy group and the lasagna itself is part of the grains group. Even sweets can have several food groups in it, apple pie is a good example because of the fruit and grains it contains. Adding a scoop of ice cream will add the dairy group to the dish.

Another thing to consider in maintaining a healthy diet is to consider exercising to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Exercise can also be as complex or as simple as you want to make it. You don’t have to join a gym or get a trainer to get in some great exercise. For instance, you could take the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car a little further away in the parking lot when you are shopping will encourage a brisk walk, using canned food in your cupboards as weights can build your muscles, or even playing in the park with a child.

Gyms are great if you want to exercise on a treadmill or even practice yoga. They can also be a great place to meet some new people that encourage your healthy lifestyle. This can be important to you because positive people tend to spread it around wherever they go. And that will only want you to do more for yourself. So that can’t be a bad thing.

These are just a few ways to keep your diet simple to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Creativity is the best way to keep great eating habits and exercise in your life. Here’s to having a happy and simple lifestyle.