My 3 rules for eating healthy (it's easier than you think!)

I have 3 basic rules when it comes to healthy eating. If you put these 3 simple rules into practice you are ticking all of the boxes to healthy eating.

It doesn't have to be rocket science. Take everything back to basics and you can’t go wrong.

1. Every meal should contain protein, fruits/vegetables and good fats (see below for more information).

Having a balanced meal is so important. If each meal you eat is made up of protein, good carbohydrates like wholegrains, fruits and vegetables, as well as good fats then you will be ensuring that you are getting plenty of vitamins and mineral, as well as reducing the chances of over eating, and making sure that everything is in moderation.

Now you may not be confident in identifying what is protein, what is good fats, and what are good carbohydrates but thats ok. Thats what I am here for.

Protein:

Protein doesn't just have to be meat. Protein comes in so many different forms. Eggs, nuts, beans, peas and dairy products.

Good fats:

There is an easy way to remember the difference between good and bad fats.

Most good fats come from plants, with the exception of fish (think avocado, almond, salmon etc) and most bad fats come from animals and fried foods (these are saturated and trans fats).

Good carbohydrates:

White bread and lots of pasta are not good carbohydrate, these carbohydrates provide minimal nutritional value and are used by the body as sugar very quickly (high GI). We want low GI carbohydrates which are going to provide lots of nutritional value to the diet as well. Carbohydrates like oats, buckwheat, brown rice, sweet potato and sourdough bread are all examples of the good carbs which will help to fuel your body.

2. Drink at least 2 litres of water a day

A simple rule but often the hardest one to implement. 2 litres of water is doable, it really isn't that much, you just have to be conscious of how much you're drinking.

Drinking plenty of water helps to support the immune system, cardiovascular health, weight loss, and overall health and wellbeing.

3. If it comes in a packet, or has more than 5 ingredients its best to be avoided.

This is the rule of thumb I use when I am shopping. Have a good read of anything that you normally buy that comes in a packet. If it has more than 5 ingredients it is more likely going to be processed in some capacity. There are a few exceptions to this rule, so use your common sense. But if it has ingredients that you cant pronounce, or it has numbers in the ingredients list then you can almost guarantee it has been processed and it is best to be avoided.