3 mins read
2021 Apr 13
Margaret
Did you recently start a new healthy diet?
If so, congratulations! You’ve just made a decision that could impact your quality of life, both in the short and long term. If you’ve been doing your diet for at least a month, this may be the time when you’re starting to wonder:
How am I doing with my healthy diet goals?
There is more than one way to assess whether you’re on track to achieve the goals you set to live a healthier life.
Here are some of the methods you can use to track your healthy dieting progress.
Body measurements are not only good for determining your clothing sizes. They’re also helpful for assessing your health.
To get your body measurements, you need to have a measuring tape. If you’re interested in using this method to track your healthy diet progress, there are two things that you need to know.
When collecting body measurements, you will measure the circumferences of your body parts. According to Verywell Fit, these are the following body parts that you need to measure to assess your healthy diet:
Be sure to write down your body measurements. You need this information to evaluate the effectiveness of your diet.
Remember, it’s essential to be consistent when measuring your body parts. For example, if you’re planning to start your healthy diet for more than 6 months, then you may need to measure yourself on a weekly basis, roughly at the same time and conditions.
So, if you took your first measurements in the morning before you eat anything, be sure to follow the same routine when you take your next measurement!
A food diary is a daily record of your food intake. At a minimum, it contains the data for the calorie content of each food you consume. However, depending on your healthy diet goals, you can also include macronutrient information, such as carbohydrates or fat.
There are tons of methods to keep a food diary. One study in 2017 found that participants who consistently record their food intake information for at least 5 or more days are more likely to achieve healthy weight than those who don’t. So there’s definitely merit to keeping a food diary.
Taking transformation photos is probably the most exciting method of all the ones we’ve listed since you actually get to see the changes your body experiences in real-time.
Taking transformation photos or before-and-after photos can help you see how your body has changed over time as you continue with your healthy diet. Just like it is when taking your body measurements, be sure to stay consistent when taking your progress photos.
If you really want to take it to the next level, you can also post your progress on social media.
Also, we would like to mention that Beyond Body loves seeing customers’ inspiring results! Send us what you have achieved with Beyond Body and participate in the contest – 5 winners will win a $50 Amazon gift card every month.
Share your success story at [email protected] and tell us:
Spread your success and inspire others!
With Beyond Body book you will get a personalized plan for your diet and exercise goals made just for you. We promise that you’re in good hands – your plan is designed by our team of nutrition and fitness experts.
Have a certain food that you don’t like? Need an extra calorie boost for your busy days? No problem – your Beyond Body book will be tailored to complement the lifestyle you’re living. Get your book today!
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4 mins read
2021 Aug 05
Are you tired of trying diets promising quick and effortless weight loss results? Diets that show other people success stories but don’t fit you?
This may often happen because not every diet works equally for everyone...
The golden rule to sustainable weight loss and long-term results is focusing on a healthier version of the foods you love and what makes you feel good in your own body.
To make the journey to your goals easier, let’s take a look at the 5 food categories that accelerate weight loss and how to apply them in your daily life.
Let's dive in!
One of the things that make you lose weight successfully is eating fewer calories than you burn per day.
What this means is that you need food that stays longer in your body and hence keeps you full for longer.
That’s where fiber-rich foods come into play as they keep you satiated for longer, help regulate blood sugar levels, maintain bowel health, and improve the digestive system, which leads to better food processing and nutrient absorption.
Some of the best fiber-rich foods to include in your diet are:
So including this category of healthy foods to lose weight sustainably will have a positive effect on your body.
It’s a fact: the key to sustainable weight loss is to avoid overeating and focus on eating foods that will keep you full for a long time.
The next category we will look at is high-quality proteins. Simply put, protein-rich foods can keep you full for longer, so you won’t wake up in the middle of the night craving sweets!
Besides, if you are looking for diversity and want to switch the regular meat proteins – you can easily move to plant-based protein foods such as tofu, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, etc. Tastes good and is definitely better for your body and the environment!
Some of the best high-quality foods include:
Тhat way you can enjoy a varied and balanced diet, which is the goal, right?
When thinking about diet, usually the first thing that comes to mind is a salad.
This is not accidental because leafy greens are a rich resource of micronutrients with so many nutritional benefits. What’s more, most of them include essential fiber, nutrients, and vitamins, like vitamin K, which protects your bones, heart health, and even prolongs your life!
A few of the best health-boosters include:
Still, you don't have to make radical sacrifices, stay hungry, or eat only salads to lose weight. It’s all about the balance of protein, vegetables, and wholesome whole grains on your plate. Leafy greens should be a pleasant addition to your meals.
What about snacks? Should you completely cut them out from your menu?
Well, to be honest – those that are full of sugar, yes! But the ones you make at home, with healthy, naturally sweet products – why not?
The easy solution is deliciously prepared healthy snacks.
Whether it will be nuts or homemade sweet potato chips, you can easily prepare low-carb and high-protein snacks to avoid feeling hungry during the day.
For more recipes, tips, and inspiration for making tons of healthy snacks – check out what our experts have to say. They will give you personalized guidance according to your preference so you can tame your sweet tooth in no time!
Speaking of snacks, do you enjoy eating yogurt with homemade granola?
Yummy… a delicious healthy snack with beneficial probiotics that improve your gut health.
A healthy gut means better results as well as better absorption of food, which may affect your weight loss.
And foods rich in probiotics, such as fermented foods like sauerkraut or dishes like miso soup, are the perfect solution for your gut and weight loss journey!
Remember, “Healthy gut, healthy you!”
5 food categories that you can enjoy and sustainably lose weight.
It’s important to listen to your body and focus on what makes you feel good than following trendy diets that are meant for the masses.
To find more similar tips and get a personalized meal plan from Beyond Body, complete the 3-minute free quiz that will design advice and tips based on your answers which 100% match your lifestyle, needs, and preferences.
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3 mins read
2021 Apr 16
As you probably know, following a healthy, balanced diet doesn't need to be complicated. You just have to choose nutritious foods and take into account what works best for you and what can enhance your well-being. In that sense, healthy eating is something that should be a part of your lifestyle because it can transform your life for good.
But did you know that after four weeks to a year of following a healthy diet plan, you will start feeling incredible and much healthier? Or that by continuing your healthy eating journey, you can achieve amazing wellness results for a longer time?
Let's take a look at what changes will occur after eating healthily for four weeks or longer and why it should be put into your list of considerations.
Healthy diet habits are essential at any age. Of course, when it comes to dieting, you need to remember that healthy eating is about the food you eat and staying on the right course.
This mantra might sound familiar to you. However, focusing on your food and everything around it is an excellent way to ensure your success while reaching wellness. So, let's revise 3 healthy eating essentials.
That being said, you can benefit a lot from a thoroughly prepared meal plan. As you do so, four weeks later, your body will experience shedding the excess water retained from highly processed food and high sodium intake. In addition, be ready to experience:
After following a healthy diet plan for six months, you will notice that you are even more healthy and that consistent changes are happening to your body, such as:
If you wonder what changes may occur after continuing your healthy and nutritious diet for one year, take a look at the benefits you may receive:
And remember that healthy eating benefits and overall body transformation will persist only as long as you keep up with your wellness goals.
Sometimes you may have moments of doubts, questioning the validity of your new lifestyle. Despite this, you can deal with it quite easily.
For example, try to meditate, analyze the reasons which have led to the questioning of yourself, and simply put them away. Also, track your progress, whether on a sheet of paper or by taking ‘before and after’ photos to see remarkable changes in your body shape. This physical proof will give you the motivation you need to move forward and ditch recurring negative thoughts.
Eating healthily is truly beneficial for your overall well-being. Sometimes, it might be hard to remember why you started or found enough strength to stay on the right course. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t forget to love yourself, and you should keep in your mind that eating healthily is the best thing you can do for yourself, as it will enhance the quality of your life for the long term.
Progress doesn't happen overnight but will take place gradually. So have patience and keep going.
A personalized health and wellness book can help you sail through this exciting journey of health and confidence. Just remember, working toward wellness is different for everyone, and all you have to do is never give up.
Get your personalized book today!
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5 mins read
2021 May 05
If you still want to build sustainable habits that may lead to better sleep, less stress, and overall good health, you might need to try the DASH diet. It gives you freedom but at the same time helps you meet your health goals and targets. It’s well-balanced and allows you to eat what you love while maintaining good levels of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins necessary for your health.
Let’s see how you can make the most of it.
According to the U.S. News and World Report, the DASH diet [1] is the best diet in the United States.
Its name stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, recommended to help prevent or treat hypertension (high blood pressure).
However, its features may contribute successfully to your overall health simply because it offers balanced and healthy meals!
By now, you'll be wondering: “Okay, is it difficult to follow the DASH diet?"
The answer is no. The diet doesn’t stick to a specific type of nutrients or dishes. It recommends daily doses of different kinds of food depending on your needs. But more about that later.
The point here is that the DASH diet relies on each meal’s portion size and offers various foods from which you can choose your favorites ones. That way, you can keep a well-balanced diet full of essential nutrients while enjoying your fav meals.
Let’s take a look at the recommended foods you can include in DASH’s diet meal recipes.
“Fill your plate with the colors of the rainbow. What pleases the eye, pleases the body.” – Deepak Chopra.
A well-known fact is that you eat with your eyes first. So to saturate your senses, fill your plate with colors that make you feel happy.
A lot of fruit and all vegetables are allowed in the DASH diet. They can be found in almost any color, so make the healthy eating fantastic experience not only for your stomach but also for your eyes.
Following the recommendations for quantity and a certain food cover, you can easily make various DASH diet snacks and meals instead of focusing only on a specific dish.
Here are some of the recommendations [2]:
Whether they are frozen, canned, or fresh, you can find the serving size on almost all packages.
You can use the fruits as a morning or afternoon DASH diet snack as they are high in fiber and low in fat.
However, if you buy canned fruits or veggies, please make sure there is no added sugar or salt.
This includes brown rice, pasta, oats, cereal, tortillas, bread, and many more. The recommendation is to choose whole grains which contain more fiber and nutrients.
I know pasta might be one of your fav meals, and you can still enjoy it. However, try to avoid butter, cream, and cheese sauces since they are high in fat.
Oatmeal with yogurt? Yep, that’s allowed!
All you need to do is make sure the milk, yogurt, or dairy product you buy are low-fat or ideally fat-free.
Be careful here! Although they are a good source of healthy fats, they are also high in calories. Enjoy them as a DASH diet snack or fancy addition to your salad dressing. It’s all up to your choice.
P.S. Check packages for guidance about the serving size.
Poultry, beef, fish, and some plant-based products are rich in protein that delivers you the strength you need to build your muscles and repair your body.
It’s important to include protein in your meal plan, so if you are a vegetarian, simply substitute the meat with chickpeas, lentils, or tofu. There are many variations, and it’s up to you what you should eat.
As you can see, the DASH diet does not focus on certain dishes but rather categories from which you can choose your fav ones.
The main thing you have to keep in mind that the DASH diet limits the amount of salt you eat during the day to only 6 grams. Think about it while ordering food or buying pre-made meals, and always read the labels.
However, for a well-balanced diet, you should keep in mind the portion size of each food.
The healthy plate technique is an easy hack to maintain the balance in your plate and never run out of DASH diet recipes.
Choose your a plate and fill it according to the following guidance [3]:
If you are wondering what the foods that are not recommended to consume are, these are all snacks and sweets high in sugar, fats, and salt:
But don’t worry! The DASH diet recipes have a great healthier alternative to your well-known fast food, takeaways, and sweet cravings. You can find tons of other healthy meal ideas in the Beyond Body book.
One of the main benefits of the DASH diet is lowering your blood pressure, resulting in reducing and minimizing salt consumption.
It also promotes a well-balanced diet and controlling your daily calories, which may lead to weight loss.
The food you eat holds the key to your wealth. Switching to a DASH diet may bring you many positive benefits and changes in your body.
Creating healthy lifestyle habits should not be something that depresses and demotivates you.
It should awaken your desire to feel better in your own skin every day. You may quickly achieve this goal if you enjoy the things you love, like your favorite meals.
So if you want to start eating healthier and never run out of ideas for cheap and delicious meals, get your personalized meal plan in only 3 minutes. Click here.
All you need to do is fill the short quiz and order a fully personalized wellness book that 100% matches your lifestyle, needs, and preferences.
Remember: you don’t have to follow the crowd to reach your lifestyle goals! Create your path in tone with your desires and wishes.
References:
[1]: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/dash-or-mediterranean-which-diet-is-better-for-you
[2]: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20048456
[3]: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/
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