In the United States, the obesity rate has been steadily climbing for the past several decades. Today, there are more overweight and obese Americans than there are healthy Americans. In fact, over eighty percent of adults are either overweight or obese. This incredible statistic is a morbid window into the future of American citizens. As weight increases amongst Americans, the life expectancy decreases because of the increased prevalence of illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.
Why is Healthy Eating so Important?
Many Americans simply fail to understand why eating healthy foods is so important. Some consumers mistakenly believe that if they take a daily multivitamin to ensure that they are getting the right levels of vitamins and minerals, they have license to eat whatever foods that they want. However, this is a gross error that involves a failure to understand the very basic truths about the human diet. Our diet is responsible for our ability to function healthfully on a day to day basis. Our diet provides us with healthy calories that help us complete tasks and nutrients that improve brain function. A poor diet leads to a poor quality of life.
Tips for Healthy Eating
Many people do not even understand what is meant by healthy eating. Health eating does not simply involve eating a salad every once in awhile. The perfect diet involves a delicate balance of healthy carbohydrates, lean proteins, good fats, and nutritious, vitamin rich foods such as vegetables and fruits. Complex carbohydrates provide the body with fuel while lean proteins help to build lean and healthy muscle mass. Good fats are necessary for amino acid production, but they should be consumed in moderation.
Changing Your Life Slowly but Surely
If you recognize a need to change your eating habits, it is important to undertake this task slowly and carefully. Many consumers try to change their eating habits overnight: a process which almost always ends in failure. Highly processed foods, fatty foods, and sugary foods are actually habit-forming. They act like a drug to the human body, and trying to eliminate these foods with the cold turkey method is rarely successful. Instead, dieters should try to slowly eliminate bad foods from their diet while introducing healthier foods that can provide sustainable energy and help the body shed extra pounds. Fad dieting may help consumers lose weight quickly, but healthy eating will initiate changes that last a lifetime.