Trying to eat healthy is not that complicated.Does it feel like a big headache to be bombarded with all kinds of dietary advice every day? Low-fat, low-carbon, ketogenic… I don’t know what to eat after hearing more. In fact, a balanced diet is not that complicated, just remember a few basic principles. Today I will share with you a few simple methods that I have been practicing for many years.
1.First, fix the structure of the three meals
Remember this formula for each meal:
1/2 plate of vegetables
1/4 plate of high-quality protein
1/4 plate of staple food
How does it work?
Breakfast: whole wheat bread + eggs + vegetable salad
Lunch: Rice + Fish + Stir-fried Vegetables
Dinner: sweet potato + chicken breast + cold cucumber
You don’t have to be completely precise, probably the right proportions will do. Stick to it for a week, and you’ll find that preparing meals becomes especially easy.
2.It is important to choose the right staple food
Not eating carbs at all will make you hungry, and eating the wrong ones will make you fat easily. My experience:
Prioritize: brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes, corn
Eat in moderation: white rice, noodles
Eat less: cakes, cookies and other refined sugar
Tip: Mix white rice and brown rice 1:1 when cooking for good taste and health.
3.Diversify your proteins
Don’t just stick to chicken breasts, these are great too:
Animal proteins: fish, shrimp, eggs, lean meats
Plant protein: tofu, chickpeas, black beans
Switch it up every week for a more complete nutritional profile. Frozen shrimp and tofu are easy to make and can be pulled out and used at any time.
4.Vegetables can be eaten this way
It’s not hard to eat enough vegetables every day:
Add a small tomato or cucumber for breakfast
Order a single green vegetable for lunch.
Stir fry a broccoli or spinach for dinner.
No time to cook? Supermarket packets and frozen vegetables can be a lifesaver.
5.Healthy Fats
Don’t be scared at the sound of fats, good fats are important for your body:
Use olive or canola oil for sautéing
Eat a small handful of nuts every day
Eat lots of deep-sea fish like salmon
I always have cashews and almonds in my snack drawer, much healthier than chips.
6.Fruit in moderation
Although healthy, too much of them is high in sugar:
A fist-sized amount of 1-2 per day is enough
Prioritize low-sugar: strawberries, blueberries, apples
High-sugar: mango, lychee should be controlled
7.Drinking water is important but often overlooked
The simplest healthy habit:
Drink a glass of warm water when you get up
Put a large glass of water on your desk at work
Carry a water bottle with you when you go out
Don’t like plain water? Add a slice of lemon or cucumber for flavor.
8.It’s okay to indulge once in a while
Eating hot pot or milk tea once a week won’t ruin your diet. The key is to develop good habits, so you don’t have to feel guilty if you break the rules once in a while.
Final tip:
Don’t change all your eating habits at once.
Start with one or two small things first
Persistence is more important than perfection
A balanced diet is not an exam, you don’t need to get full marks. It doesn’t matter if you eat an extra bag of chips today or drink an extra cup of milk tea tomorrow. What’s important is to develop an overall healthy eating pattern, so that good habits become a natural part of your life, rather than a burden.
Remember, there is no such thing as a “perfect” diet, only one that “works for you”. Use this guide as a reference and adjust it to your own pace of life. After all, the most important thing is to eat happily and comfortably.