When you think about clean eating what springs to mind? Restrictive diets of steamed veg and grilled meat? Well although those foods are undoubtably good for you, I’m going to dispel a few of the common misconceptions about what it means to eat healthily.
Just because you want to follow a healthy diet, it does not mean that every meal you eat has to be super healthy. Life is all about balance. Nourishing your body is not just about perfectly proportioned meals, but also about enjoyment and eating the foods that you love without feeling guilty about it. Don’t completely restrict yourself from your favourite take away or that sugary treat you crave. Weave these foods into your diet and consider them as occasional treats.
Calories were not all created equally! Just because foods like nuts are high in calories does not mean that you should avoid them if you’re on a diet. It is important not to fall into the trap of rigid calorie counting. A portion of nuts is much more likely to fill you up than a bag of crisps. It’s also important to think about the nutrient content of the foods that you’re choosing. Nuts have a wide range of nutrients in them which are great for your body whereas crisps do not.
Eating healthily doesn’t mean you should strip all fats from your diet. It is true that certain fats (such as trans fats) are damaging to your health, but this does not mean that all fats are bad. Your body needs fat to work properly! Omega-3 fats which are mainly found in fish oils are essential for heart health, brain health and also help reduce inflammation so they can ease muscle soreness and joint pain. Make sure you’re getting enough omega-3 in your diet and if you feel you’re not quite having two portions of oily fish per week, top up your intake with omega-3 supplements.
Many think that you can only achieve weight loss by going completely carb free. This is just not true. Your body needs carbs for energy. A healthy and balanced diet is made up of about 1/3 of carbohydrates. If you don’t include enough carbs in your diet it can leave you feeling extremely hungry between meals and could increase the risk of you binge eating unhealthy foods.
Your diet should be about nourishing your body, not restricting yourself from the foods that you enjoy. Don’t force yourself to eat foods that you don’t like just because you perceive them to be healthy. Try new foods and explore different ways of cooking meals so that you can find healthy dishes that you love to eat!
Alicia Caroline Nutrition 