Health Help: What Does 'Eating Well' Really Mean?

What to do when counting calories makes you crazy.

woman eating salad
Advertisement

To ask Nicole your health and wellness questions, join her on Facebook Thursday, 3/29 at 2 p.m. EST!

March is National Nutrition Month, and while most of us have a vague idea about what it means to be healthy and eat well, we may not know exactly what we should be doing on a day-to-day basis. In this video, YourTango Expert Nicole Burley offers some concrete suggestions for eating well this month.

1. Eat Real Food. If your food was made in a laboratory, or if it had to go through several different processes in order to become edible, it's not really food anymore, it's a food product. Your body wants real, whole, natural food that it can recognize, so stick to foods with ingredients you keep in your own kitchen. Sticks & Stones: Could You Withstand A Verbal Attack?

Advertisement

2. Eat Plants. Plants include vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, beans and seeds. Plant-based foods are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants — all of which are sorely lacking in red meat, poultry, and dairy.

If you're not ready to completely say goodbye to animal-based foods, see what it's like to significantly increase your plant-based foods. Don't be surprised if you have more energy, your skin starts glowing, and you feel fantastic!

3. Eat Enough. Not too much, not too little — just eat enough. How do you know what's enough? Well, calorie counting, measuring and obsessive portioning can be brutal. Instead, pay attention to your body. Lifestyle: Hate Going To The Gym? Watch This!

Advertisement

If you tune into your natural sense of hunger and feed your body with whole, plant-based food, it becomes so much easier to eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. Your body really wants to be happy and healthy. It's just waiting for you to feed it the right food!

Check out the video for even more tips on eating well. Happy eating!