How to get a healthy body

Drink enough water. In general, adults should consume between 11 and 15 cups (2.7-3.7 litres) of liquid every day. This amount, however, includes the liquid (including water) that you receive from ALL sources, including food. The general guideline to ensure you’re drinking enough liquids is to not allow yourself to stay thirsty, and to have a drink with every meal. Any type of liquid can be included in this daily consumption (i.e. soup, milk, tea, coffee, soda, juice, etc.). While items like coffee, tea and soda are a form of liquid that will assist with your daily intake, you should try not to make them your only source.                      

Learn to read ingredient labels at the grocery store. Don’t be fooled by “light” or “natural” on the label, it doesn’t necessarily mean the product is “light” in calories, or made from “natural” ingredients. The nutritional information is also very important, and the amount and % of your daily intake of various nutrients are listed on product labels. However, it is important to know the QUANTITY of the product these measurements are referring to. You might see that the product contains 1g of fat - awesome - but that 1g might be in reference to 2 chips when you normally eat 20                                                                                          

Eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet may be slightly different for each person, depending on their age, gender, size, activity level and existing health conditions (i.e. high cholesterol, diabetes, pregnancy, etc.). Regardless of the amounts of each type of food, almost everyone needs to ensure they get enough protein, dairy, grains, fats, and fruits & vegetables.

• Protein is mainly found in meats, but you can also find it in beans, tofu, nuts, and eggs. Try for the lean and non-fried options.
• For dairy products, try to consume the lower fat options when possible. Try to stay away from items like cream cheese, cream, and butter if possible.
• Grains are any products made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, millet, bulgur, quinoa, and more. Grains can be found in foods like pasta, oatmeal, cereals, breads, tortillas, etc. Try to select the whole grain options when possible.
• Our bodies do require a certain amount of fat to function properly. Some, but not all, oils that are liquid at room temperature tend to be those with more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are the better fats to consume. Look for oils made from canola, corn, cottonseed, olive, safflower, soybean or sunflower.
• Fruits and vegetables are a great source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. They also usually contain the lowest amount of calories as compared to other types of food. While juice can be a good source of vitamins and minerals, it tend to contain a lot of added sugar. Try to limit yourself to only one glass of juice a day, or less.                 
• Replace your foods with the lower fat/sugar versions. A lot of dairy products like milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, hard cheese, ice cream, etc., come in a “regular” version and one or more “light” versions. The label will explain what the percentage of milk fat is contained in each version (i.e. 2% milk versus 0% skim milk). If you currently consume the “regular” or higher fat versions, switch to a lower fat version of the same product.^[6] The same thing can be done with products that contain sugar. Some items made with sugar can also be found with low sugar or sugar-free versions.
  • Something to consider about fat-free products is that the label “fat free” is often put onto products that never had fat in them to begin with. The label implies the fat was removed, but in reality it never existed.
  • Sugar-free products sometimes use sugar substitutes instead of natural sugar. Some sugar substitutes (like stevia) also come from natural sources. Other sugar substitutes (like aspartame) do not. You will need to decide how you feel about sugar substitutes before consuming certain products.   
  • Plan your meals in advance. This includes snacks and drinks. If you think about your food intake a week at a time, you are not only able to make sure you buy all the things you need, but you’re making sure each meal you eat is balanced. Meal planning may even allow you to make some of the food in advance so you don’t have to cook every day. Make sure every meal includes fruits and/or vegetables.Your meal planning should include:
    • One dark green and one orange vegetable per day.
    • Whole fruit instead of fruit juice.
    • Whole grain products.
    • Lean meat cuts                                                                                  Start your meals with soup. Vegetable-based soup provides both the vitamins and nutrients of the vegetables in the soup, and helps fill your stomach so you don’t eat more of another food. Soup can also make a good meal in and of itself, and may be less expensive than non-soup alternatives.
      • Try to choose broth-based soups, rather than creamy soups. Or, if you’re making the soup yourself, make a creamy soup using a lower fat alternative (i.e. 2% milk instead of cream).
      • Add healthy extras to a home made soup, such as lean meats, vegetables and beans.                                              
    Choose whole grain options. Whole grains contain a lot of vitamins and minerals your body needs, as well as complex carbohydrates, which provide your body with energy. Whole grains have also been known to help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. When selecting items that contain grain, try to choose as many whole grain options as possible. This includes items such as rice, bread, cereal, pasta, and flour.                                                                                                                      
  Do not skip breakfast. They weren’t kidding when they said breakfast is the most important meal of the day! It’s probably also the meal most people tend to skip. Try not to do this. Eating breakfast gives you enough energy to get through your morning, and helps control hunger throughout the day.                                                    
• Sit down to eat a meal without distractions. Don’t eat in front of the TV or computer. Chew each bite completely before swallowing and pause between each bite. Savour your food.^[11] In an ideal situation, you should be able to sit down to each meal with one or more other people and enjoy a conversation while eating. Not only is this enjoyable, but it’ll slow down how quickly you eat and allow your body to register when it’s actually full so you stop eating.