A balanced diet is a diet that contains differing kinds of foods in certain quantities and proportions so that the requirement for calories, proteins, minerals, vitamins and alternative nutrients is adequate. A nutritionally balanced diet fulfills all nutritional needs of the body. Each body needs a specific amount of nutrients and calories to stay active and healthy. A good diet enables us to get all the required nutrients without exceeding the recommended calorie intake per day.

How to eat a balanced diet

A balanced diet is key to improving your nutrition, performance, and overall wellbeing because good food creates the energy to sustain you throughout the day and helps fight diseases. The habits that support a balanced diet are just as important as the food itself.

Build healthy habits and learn how to eat a balanced diet with these tips.

1. Avoid highly processed and sugar-sweetened items

Highly processed foods are foods that are changed from their original food source and have many added ingredients. During processing, often important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber are removed while salt and sugar are added.  Examples of processed food include: fast foods, hot dogs, chips, cookies, frozen pizzas, deli meats, white rice and white bread.

Part of knowing how to eat a balanced diet is understanding which foods you should avoid and why. Highly processed, greasy and sugary food and beverages carry little to no nutritional value and are often high in calories.

2. Do informed grocery shopping

Prepare a shopping list that has a good selection of proteins, carbohydrates, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables. This way when it comes to meals prep, you’ll have the necessary ingredients to make a balanced meal. Try to choose a variety of different foods from the 5 main food groups to get a wide range of nutrients.

The best strategy is to plan ahead and write down what you need beforehand. By doing this and sticking to your list, you’ll not only buy healthier items to keep around the house, but you’ll also save money.

3. Have home-made food more

Prepare most of your meals at home using whole or minimally processed foods. This way you’ll make sure to have a balance of all the macro and micro nutrients in every meal and you are in control of the ingredients.

4. Create supportive environments

Make time for food prep because not every day is going to go as planned. Food prep makes it easy to choose balanced meals, especially when you’re tired or short on time. Also, make a point to replace the processed foods and sugar-sweetened drinks in your home with healthy snacks. A home or work environment filled with healthy options and free of temptation makes it  much easier to select foods that are part of a balanced diet.

5. Drink sufficient water

Water supports health and promotes hydration without adding calories to the diet. Drinking water before meals can reduce your appetite and food intake during the following meal. Sometimes the body may interpret thirst as need for food hence causing you to eat instead of hydrating. The most important thing is to drink water instead of other beverages. This may drastically reduce your intake of sugar and calories.

6. Eat more protein, add more vegetables

Choose healthier foods rich in fiber and proteins that keeps you full for longer. Protein, for example, is crucial to feeling satisfied during and between meals, which helps to fend off overeating. Also, vegetables are packed with nutrients including fiber that controls digestion and can also provide a variety of health benefits. Vegetables are low in calories and a variety of them make for good snacks as well. Aim for color and variety in vegetables. The more colorful, the more nutritive. Fish, poultry, beans, and nuts are all healthy, versatile protein sources-they can be mixed into salads, and pair well with vegetables on a plate.

7. Make time for satisfying meals

When meals are balanced in all aspects you are more likely to feel satisfied sooner and longer, which keeps you from overeating and unnecessary snacking. Choose your preferred meals and make them as delicious, so that, aside from nutrition, you also enjoy whatever you eat. If the food is vibrant and smells delicious, you’re excited to eat and it’s already starting to satisfy your needs. Include foods in a range of colors, textures, and flavors when you make time to sit down for your meal. Then you can truly enjoy your food, have fewer cravings between meals, and eat less overall.

8. Separate feelings and food

Review the “why” behind your eating habits. Why you’re eating is just as important as what you’re eating. When you use food to satisfy emotional needs, you often turn to unhealthy choices such as cookies, ice cream, or soda. The satisfaction lasts for a few moments while you eat, but the feelings come rushing back once you’re done. As a result, you still feel unhappy and now you’ve eaten poorly too. If you keep the “why” of your eating focused on nutrition and sustenance, you’re more likely to choose healthy options that support your balanced diet.

9. Get sufficient rest

When you’re well rested, you’re more likely to make rational, positive choices to support your goals. Get sufficient sleep. Sleep deprivation disrupts appetite regulation, often leading to increased appetite. This results in increased calorie intake.

When you’re tired, the simplest tasks seem like so much work, and you just want the easiest option for everything, including food.

10. Don’t let weekends be a downfall

Focusing on how to eat a balanced diet doesn’t end when you leave work on a Friday afternoon. A little fun eating is okay, but you’ll still want to stick to your goals for long-term success. Therefore, you’ll want to plan ways to help yourself avoid setbacks.

Challenge yourself to find solutions to common weekend scenarios before they happen such as; choice of a restaurant that serves healthy food options, selecting snacking options while going outdoors either for nature trail or road trip etc.

11. Bake or roast instead of grilling or frying

The way you prepare your food can drastically change its effects on your health. Grilling, broiling, frying, and deep-frying are all popular methods of preparing meat and fish. However, during these types of cooking methods, several potentially toxic compounds are formed. Healthier cooking methods include: baking, broiling, poaching, simmering, slow cooking, stewing, steaming.

Although you can still enjoy the occasional grilled or deep-fried dish, it’s best to use those methods sparingly.

12. Replace your favorite fast food restaurant

Eating out doesn’t have to involve unhealthy foods. Consider upgrading your favorite fast food restaurant to one with healthier options. They may just be a great replacement for your favorite burger or pizza joint. Do your homework and identify the restaurants that offer a variety of healthy food options.

13. Try at least one new healthy recipe per week

Deciding what to have for dinner can be a constant cause of frustration, which is why many people tend to use the same recipes again and again. Chances are you’ve been cooking the same recipes on autopilot for years. Whether these are healthy or unhealthy recipes, trying something new can be a fun way to add more diversity to your diet.

Aim to try making a new healthy recipe at least once per week. This can change up your food and nutrient intakes. You can also try to make a healthier version of a favorite recipe by experimenting with new ingredients, herbs, and spices.

14. Eat your fruits instead of drinking them

Fruits are loaded with water, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Because fruits contain fiber and various plant compounds, their natural sugars are generally digested very slowly and don’t cause major spikes in blood sugar levels.

Fruit juices have the fiber removed and most of them have added sugars. This makes fruit juice much more likely to spike your blood sugar levels, leading you to consume too much in a single sitting. Many fruit juices aren’t even made from real fruit, but rather concentrate and sugar. Some varieties may even contain as much sugar as a sugary soft drink.

In conclusion

Some of these tips will help you keep your portion sizes reasonable, while others will help you add nutrients or adapt to something new while still meeting your nutrition needs and keeping your meals delicious and enjoyable.

Together, they’ll have a big impact on making your overall diet healthier and more sustainable, without a huge change in your habits.