Nutrition Tips

5 Guidelines for Healthy Meals

Posted on by JL
16
Sep

Do you know what healthy meals are?

Are the meals that you cook healthy? Think so, but not sure?

If your weight loss has slowed, or even stopped, then there are improvements to be made in the meals you eat.

Understanding what healthy meals are will help you make or select meals that are good for you and fitness friendly. And as a result you’ll experience healthy weight loss.

Check out these 5 Guidelines for Healthy Meals:  

Step #1: Choose Quality Ingredients
These are the building blocks to a healthy meal. While you certainly don’t need to dine in gourmet restaurants in order to ensure quality ingredients, you should pay attention to the quality of the foods you eat.

Choose foods that are:

  • Fresh and organic
  • Pronounceable ingredients
  • Whole foods

Step #2: Use Healthy Cooking Methods
The way a meal is cooked determines how many calories, how much added fat, and the number of nutrients that survive. This simple factor will make or break your weight loss goal.

Avoid foods prepared like this:

  • Fried and battered
  • Processed and packaged
  • Doused with cream sauce
  • Sautéed

Choose foods that are prepared like this:

  • Grilled
  • Baked
  • Broiled
  • Steamed

Step #3: Eat Mostly Protein
The bulk of your calories should be coming from a quality source of protein. With the first 2 guidelines in mind, these will be high quality, healthfully prepared.

Good choices of protein include:

  • Fish
  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Egg
  • Lean red meat
  • Beans

Step #4: Include Lots of Fiber
Fiber is a huge part of eating healthy and being lean. Fibrous foods will fill you up while delivering vitamins and nutrient in low-calorie packages. Fill at least two thirds of your plate with fibrous vegetables.

Try these forms of fiber:

  • Salad
  • Seasonal vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Legumes

Step #5: Reduce Starches
Here’s where many well-meaning dieters lose it. The facts are simple, in order to maintain the low-carb, high protein diet required for healthy weight loss, there is no room for starchy foods.

Starches to Avoid:

  • Potatoes
  • Pasta
  • Rice and cereal
  • Bread and crackers

For the most effective results, pair your clean eating with a challenging exercise routine. My programs will help you reach your exercise goals!

JL