Dietary behaviour takes time to change so one can start taking small conscious steps to avoid any kind of unhealthy dietary approach. Even a small change in your daily eating pattern can bring out a big positive difference to improve your overall health and fitness.
• Keep a check on your intake of processed food items as they are high in salt, sugar and fat.
• Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol and focus on doing regular physical activity.
• Eat a variety of foods to avoid micronutrient deficiencies.
• Include seasonal and different colours of vegetables and fruits.
• Choose whole grains like millets, whole wheat bread, etc.
• Consume low-fat daily products.
• Limit the use of butter/ghee and avoid shortenings, Vanaspati and margarine.
• Limit the consumption of products made with maida (refined wheat flour).
• Focus on adequately hydrating yourself and drink plenty of water.
• Your diet should provide your body with adequate amounts of essential nutrients necessary and required to maintain our overall health.
• Reduce the consumption of fat, salt and sugar in your daily diet. For best results follow these recommendations:
Total fat: Less than 65 grams per day
Trans fat: Less than 2 grams per day
Sugar: Less than 25 grams per day
Salt: Less than 5 grams per day.
It is important to:
• Monitor: Buy small and fixed amounts of oil, salt and sugar every month to keep a check on your intake.
• Measure: Use a small spoon to put oil, sugar and salt in your food.
• Reduce: Focus on gradually reducing the intake of sugar, oil and salt.
• Replace: Learn to choose healthier options like fruits over sugar, vegetable oil instead of Vanaspati ghee, etc.
• Limit: Learn to limit your intake of salted snacks, sauces, jellies, jams, sweets, sweetened beverages, desserts, fried foods, pickles, etc.
• Avoid: Don't sprinkle sugar or salt on cut fruits, salad, curd, etc. Avoid adding salt while making chapatis or cooking rice, avoid reheating and reusing oil repeatedly and most importantly avoid consuming refined sugar.