However, the reality is healthy eating is easy, simple, and approachable. The key to a healthy diet is taking the right number of calories, considering how active you are. This helps balance out the energy you use and the energy you consume. 

In addition, you must also eat a range of foods to ensure getting a balanced diet. This helps your body receive all the nutrients it needs to continue functioning properly.

So, which foods are best to put on your plate? Or how often should you eat and how much? Let's find out all about it and a lot more as we discuss the five experts’ tips for healthy eating in this article.

1. Be Specific and Realistic to Your Goals

The first step towards healthy eating is to ask yourself what goals you are willing to accomplish. It may be the urge to reduce red meat consumption, improve your physical condition in rehab, or do something else.

No matter the goals you wish to achieve, be realistic and take practical steps to make every goal a reality. For example, if you are someone suffering from substance abuse, besides ensuring a healthy diet plan, you should also receive treatment and a full continuum of care to ensure a smooth transition. This means taking the assistance of an accredited recovery center like the Palm Beach Group to get all-inclusive aftercare and complete relapse prevention. Also, never discredit any goal, no matter how big or small, as short-term goals are often the foundation of long-term ones. 

Since lifestyle changes take time and are never gratified overnight, it’s better to start small, like eating vegetables with every meal or replacing fizzy drinks with water for at least a week.

2. Ensure High Protein Intake

If you don't know, protein is known as the king of nutrients, and rightfully so, thanks to its superpowers when it comes to health. It is full of micronutrients; thus, it directly affects your satiety hormones and hunger.

According to a study, eating a high-protein diet significantly decreases the ghrelin levels or the hunger hormone in people with obesity more than a high-carb meal. Moreover, it keeps you active by retaining muscle mass while increasing the calories you burn daily.

Thus, if you are experiencing lethargy or losing weight, you must include protein food in your diet. It is necessary to prevent the loss of muscle mass as you age or lose weight. You can easily add protein to each snack or meal. Some good protein sources include nuts, eggs, lean meat, beans, dairy products, etc. 

When your protein intake is good, it helps you curb cravings, feel fuller for a long time, boost energy and avoid overeating.

3. Eat a Variety of Foods

Our brain craves novelty. While it is hard to replicate the creamy/crunchy contrast of an Oreo, you can keep things interesting by varying your diet. For instance, how about dipping a crunchy carrot in creamy hummus to get a novel sensation? Or add new flavors and spices to your meal to make eating healthy foods a desirable experience?

 Either way, consuming a healthy diet doesn't have to be bland. It is about eating a variety of foods from the five major food groups, including:

• Fruit

• Vegetables or beans or legumes

• Grain foods mostly high cereal fiber varieties or wholegrain

• Poultry or lean meats, tofu, eggs, fish, seeds, and nuts

• Yogurt, milk, cheese, or alternatives, majorly reduced fat

Eating a well-balanced or varied diet means regularly taking various foods from these five food groups. Since different foods offer different amounts and types of key nutrients, you must choose different items from each food group. Moreover, choosing a variety of foods will make your meals interesting, keeping you from getting bored with the same diet. 

4. Limit Processed Food

Processed food is the one that changes its original form and comes as packaged, cooked, frozen, or canned food. When food is preserved or fortified, it changes its nutritional composition. This means that heavily processed food is usually low in nutrients and high in calories. 

Some of the most common examples of processed foods include cookies, cakes, candies, chips, cured meats, hot dogs, frozen meals full of sugar-rich sauces, sodium, refined grains, etc. 

Processed foods usually have a high level of preservatives, sugar, and salt that negatively affects your health. Also, it exposes you to a high risk of heart disease, according to New York City’s registered dietitian and nutrition consultant Alana Kessler.

While processed foods technically come as packaged foods, you don’t need to cut them out completely. However, you can swap them out with healthier alternatives like yogurt or paling oatmeal instead of sugary cereal. Nevertheless, some packaged foods like frozen vegetables and fruits do have nutritional value, making eating more convenient and manageable. 

5. Be More Active and Exercise

Exercise and good nutrition often go hand in hand. Regular exercise improves your overall mood and decreases feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress that often contribute to binge eating for some individuals.

Therefore, adding exercise to your healthy eating habits allows you to reap the full benefits of a wholesome lifestyle. When you exercise daily, it maintains your weight and helps reduce the chances of developing acute diseases. 

It improves your overall sense of physical well-being, boosts your energy levels, and improves your sleep, let alone your self-awareness of how your food intake affects your health over time. This factor directly impacts your potential food choices. 

Thus, while keeping track of healthy eating habits, take out time for about 30 minutes of high-intensity or moderate exercise every day. Or you may go on short walks or take additional stairs whenever possible. 

The Bottom Line

Enjoying a healthy lifestyle with good eating habits doesn’t happen overnight. Similarly, overhauling your diet completely or all at once is a recipe for disaster. Therefore, if you wish to adopt healthy eating habits, start incorporating the tips listed above in your everyday routine and make your diet healthier.

While some of these tips will allow you to keep your energy levels high, others will help you adapt new eating habits or add nutrients to your diet. Last but not least, these practices will help you make your overall diet healthier and more sustainable without changing your daily habits. Good luck!