If you're hoping to improve your diet but often find that you're just not in the mood for healthy foods, then help is at hand...
It turns out that you can teach yourself to embrace a healthier way of eating, as Good Housekeeping's go-to medical expert, junior doctor Hazer Wallace – better known as The Food Medic – can attest.
Food was an integral part of Dr Wallace’s family life and happiness until her dad had a stroke that killed him. Consumed by grief, she stopped eating – food became a chore rather than a pleasure and it was only with the help of a dietitian that she learnt to love it again.
Now a doctor, she's on a mission to get people eating healthy, delicious food.
"We live in a diet culture focused on BMI and weight, where food is labelled 'good' and 'bad', where people veer between extremes of restriction and bingeing," says Dr Wallace. "If we can become conscious not just of what we eat but how and who we eat it with, we can start to reclaim our relationship with food."
Here are Dr Wallace's top five tips to make yourself crave healthy food...
Try a Mediterranean diet
Known as the healthiest way to eat, its ingredients are readily available. As the NHS website notes, the Mediterranean diet is high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish, as well as unsaturated fats such as olive oil. It usually includes a low intake of meat and dairy foods.
Get back to basics
Dr Wallace recommends cooking with whole ingredients and experimenting with flavours. Hazel’s book, The Food Medic For Life (Amazon, £20), has lots of easy recipes for busy lives, plus more complex ones for weekends.
Banish labels
Remember that it's not helpful to think of foods as "good" or "bad", says Dr Wallace. Some are calorie-dense, others nutrient-rich, so aim for a balance. The more nutritious foods you have in your diet, the less space there will be for junk.
Look forward to lunch
Make your midday meal as tasty as possible, says Dr Wallace. "An open sandwich can be a fantastic vehicle for loads of nutritious toppings – add five different vegetables, hummus and seeds. My lunches tend to be lighter than my dinners, lower in starchy carbohydrates. I find a lighter lunch, packed full of wholesome food, boosts my energy while also helping me to avoid that post-lunch 3pm slump."
Eat together
Take time to stop, relax and be mindful of what you are eating. Families who eat together at least three times a week tend to have more variety in their diets, plus they are less likely to be overweight.
No comments:
Post a Comment