A healthy lifestyle means a good quality life

Breakfast

Eat your breakfast like a queen or a king. Your body needs enough calories, proteins, vitamins and water to function during the day. Include proteins, whole grains, fruits and water.

Lunch

Take a reasonable size portion to maintain good energy levels. Typically your ½ plate should consist of fruits and vegetables and other ½ plate proteins and carbohydrates.

Dinner

During sleep our body metabolism is lowered and less of calories are burnt. The extra food consumed is stored as body fat. Take a small portion of food during supper time and should contain plenty of salads and fruits.

Snack

In between meals, take a snack containing low calories e.g. fruits, soup, tea etc. This maintains a steady energy level and helps you avoid hunger pangs. Because of this, the next meal you will not have to eat a large portion.

Right choice of food stuffs

• Eat at least four servings of vegetables a day. Vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals, contain fiber, have no cholesterol, and are low in fat and calories. They’re a great source of phytochemicals, substances that appear to help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Eat a variety to get all the health benefits.
•  Eat at least three servings of fruits a day. Fruits are filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
  Except for a few, such as avocado and coconut, they’re virtually free of fat. Fruits are a major source of flavonoids, substances that may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Choose a variety of fruits to get the most health benefits.
•  Eat foods high in omega-3s. Eating at least two servings (about 3 ounces each) a week of fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Plant sources of omega-3s include (macadamia nuts and oil), soybeans and walnuts (whole and oil).
•  Choose whole-grain foods. Eating whole grains may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. In addition to the more familiar whole-grain breads and cereals, add variety to your diet with brown rice, wheat, millet, quinoa, whole-wheat and pasta.
• Meat. Processed meat is now associated with the risk of digestive cancers. Reduce your meat intake and be in favour of white meat e.g. fish and chicken.

 Exercise

Regular exercises helps maintain your weight, lowers your blood pressure, promotes good blood glucose control, improves your moods, lowers your stress, increases your muscle strength, enhances your mental alertness and improves your overall sense of well-being.

Aim for 30 to 60 minutes a day of low- to moderate-intensity physical activity.

Combine three types of exercise — stretching (flexibility), endurance (aerobic) and strengthening (weight training) — and three levels of intensity — warm-up, workout level and cool-down — in each exercise session.

Dos and Don’ts of Losing weight

• Don’t skip meals. During the day when you’re active, your body needs maximum calories and nutrients. Missed meals may result in an unhealthy diet and may increase your risk of obesity. Eating meals, including a healthy snack, at fairly regular times may reduce impulse snacking, meal size and calorie intake.
• Limit meat consumption. Meat is a major source of fat — keep portions under 6 ounces daily. Eat more servings of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
• Don’t starve yourself. If you’re on a diet that’s too strict, eventually you’ll go back to eating regular food. Unless you’ve learned how to eat a variety of healthy foods and still lose weight, you won’t achieve long-term weight control.
• Exercise regularly. Any exercise burns calories. To promote weight loss from body fat, exercise at a moderate intensity for at least 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week. Walking is a good form of exercise.
• Drink water. Drinking water with your meal can help fill you up. Drinking water also slows the pace of your eating — and people who eat fast tend to overeat.
• Weigh wisely. Daily weighing can be a helpful tool for some people who are trying to lose weight or prevent weight gain. But daily shifts in body water can show up as pounds on your scale. So keep this in mind and pay greater attention to trends in your weight.