How to Eat Healthy

There are many healthy diets on the market; however, you don't need to follow some fad to lose a little bit of weight. Just implement a few simple healthy habits in your life, and you'll never need to diet again.

• Determine how many calories your body needs to function each day. This number can vary wildly depending on your metabolism and how physically active you are. There are websites online that can help you to determine this number. Once you get this number, it's best to divide it into 5 and eat 5 small meals a day.
• Don't fear fatty foods. You need to consume fat from foods in order for your body to function correctly. That doesn't mean you can eat just any fat though, you need to choose the right kinds of fats. Most animal fats and some vegetable oils are high in fats that raise your bad cholesterol. If you eat the right fats, thus raising your good cholesterol, it'll flush the excess bad cholesterol from your body.
• Carbohydrates are important. These diets that tell you to cut all carbohydrates from your diet are unhealthy. Your body needs carbohydrates to function properly; they are your body's main source of energy. The trick is choosing the right carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates like sugar and processed flour are processed quickly and can cause a carbohydrate overload, so stay away from those. The good carbohydrates include carbohydrates from whole grain flour, hearty vegetables, oats and brown rice. They are usually high in fiber which keeps your digestive system running smoothly.
• Don't skip breakfast! Many people are rushed in the morning, so they skip breakfast, opting to eat a bigger lunch later in the day. Eating breakfast is important because it jump-starts your metabolism when you get up, burning calories instead of storing them. Eating breakfast also helps to give you more energy throughout the day.
• Give yourself a cheat day. This doesn't mean pigging out all day long on all your favorite fatty foods, it means enjoying foods you really love once a week. Have a couple of slices of pizza on Saturday, or a big slice of cake on Sunday. This cheat day will make it so you don't drive yourself nuts and you'll be more likely to stick with all the other healthy habits you've started to create in your life.

If you feel tempted at anytime to eat fatty snacks, go do something else to take your mind off of it. If you can wait just 15 minutes, usually your craving will be gone by then. The easiest way to prevent mindless snacking and temptations is to not buy those foods in the first place. Losing weight is good as long as you're still at a healthy weight. Make and keep healthy habits and you'll be good to go for life.