From the moment we wake up, we’re faced with decisions … Should I walk to work or drive? Take a packed lunch or grab something on the go?
With so many choices in so little time, it isn’t surprising that we don’t always think about whether the decisions we make throughout the day add up to a healthy lifestyle.
Balanced Diet:
- Breakfast
Kicking off the day with a nutritious breakfast is a good place to start.
Why?
When we wake up, our body has been without food for a number of hours, so we need to eat something to give us the energy, to function from walking and talking through to critical functions, such as breathing and pumping blood around our body. Even thinking requires energy! So, breakfast and food generally are pretty important.
There are other benefits too! Evidence shows that those who eat breakfast are generally slimmer than those who skip it and children who eat breakfast concentrate more and perform better at school.
- Sugar
Our brain requires around 130 grams of glucose (which is a type of sugar) per day to keep functioning. You’ll find glucose in all sorts of foods from fruit and vegetables to honey. So, for a healthy start to your day, and to get that early morning energy boost, how about enjoying some porridge with raisins or maybe a small glass of orange juice and a bowl of whole-grain cereal?
Today, more and more of us are eating on the go than ever before, which can make it more difficult to track the calories we’re eating as we go with the added extras or grab a coffee with our sandwich.
Nutritional labels can help us keep track of how we’re doing as they include lots of useful information from the calorie content to the different ingredients, including the number of total sugars.
Did you know that when it comes to sugars, our bodies do not distinguish between them whether natural or added in the home or used in manufacturing?
So, the sucrose in an apple is broken down in exactly the same way as the sucrose in your sugar bowl!
- Snacks
As our energy levels dip through the day, it can be tempting to reach for a mid-afternoon snack.
Snacks can make up to 20% of our daily calorie intake! So think about how snacks can complement the other foods you’ve eaten throughout the day. It’s also worth thinking about how your snacks can help you get 1 of your 5 a day.
- Exercise
A couple of ways to look after yourself includes keeping an eye on what you’re eating and leading an active lifestyle. It is recommended to do 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of more vigorous exercise for adults each week.
- Dinner
As you approach dinner, take a moment to think about the food you’ve eaten throughout the day! Not one single food or drink contains all the essential nutrients your body needs. Also, think about the number of calories you’ve consumed and how active you’ve been.
Finally, don’t forget that drinks also count towards your daily calorie allowance so that small cup of juice shouldn’t be forgotten when calculating your total intake for the day.
Whatever choices you make during the day, take a moment to think about how making even the smallest of changes could make a big difference!