Simple steps to a healthy lifestyle

So it’s half way through the year and many of us are well into realising our new year’s resolution goals. Although it can be a challenge, a healthy lifestyle is worth it! Here are a few key points that I like to keep in mind to keep me along the road to an optimum healthy lifestyle that you can use too.

 1.Balance is key

The key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to enjoy all the foods you love in moderation. It’s important not to set unrealistic goals and expectations, which will only lead to feelings of deprivation. Therefore, do not see any foods as being “off –limits” altogether; rather view them as items that should be enjoyed as occasional treats and try where possible, to substitute unhealthy ingredients in recipes for healthier options. An ‘all or nothing’ approach will simply cause you to crave the foods you have banned from your diet. Instead, balance a healthy diet with the combination of carbohydrates, protein, fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals.  

2. Stay motivated

When making changes to your diet, smaller, more manageable steps are more likely to become sustainable in the long term. For example, look for recipes that contain more fresh ingredients and think of food in terms of freshness, variety and colour; as opposed to merely looking at the kilojoules content. 

3. Make small changes

Make changes that will in time become healthy habits, like cooking with olive oil as opposed to butter or altering recipes by using low kilojoule products. Canderel Yellow is an example of a bake stable sweetener that can be used as a sugar alternative. It’s Sucralose based, which is derived from sugar but contains fewer kilojoules and is suitable for cooking and baking at high temperatures.

Ultimately a healthy diet is about eating smart by using healthy cooking methods and ingredients. Most importantly, it’s about the understanding that the basis of healthy habits is moderation rather than deprivation.