Diets can be overly complicated and strict, remaining healthy doesn't have to be hard
Despite what you’ve been told and what you see in some books, what makes a healthy diet can actually be really straightforward. The key is getting the balance right, which means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy diet.
The food & drink you consume contains several different types of nutrients, which are all required for many vital processes within the body. These nutrients are spilt in to two types: macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
Consuming a balanced intake of these nutrients will not only help make your diet healthier but will help when trying to achieve your goal of a better physique and healthier lifestyle. The question is how do you consume the correct foods to provide you body a balanced level of nutrients?
So What Exactly Makes A Healthy Diet?
When considering a healthy balanced diet to support your training goals, it’s important to balance the amount of different food groups on your plate.
Your protein foods (fish, chicken, pulses or non-meat proteins like tofu) should cover about a quarter of your plate or roughly a palm-sized portion. Split complex carbohydrates (basmati rice, wholemeal pasta, sweet potato) and vegetables equally to cover the rest of your plate. The portion of complex carbohydrates and vegetables should both be about a fist size.
By following the above advice and opting for lean protein foods and complex carbohydrates, eating foods containing essential fatty acids (e.g. nuts, seeds, avocado, oily fish like salmon) and getting your 5-a-day, you should be getting all the nutrients your body needs.
