I am not the biggest health freak out there, but I do like to take good care of my body. So even though I love to eat out and like all my fried greasy foods and chocolates, cakes and candy; I do my fair share of exercise and I've made a few simple adjustments to my cooking and eating lifestyle that I would like to share.
It's a start and step in the right direction for a healthier body.
1. Use less salt
Cut down on the salt in your cooking and on salty foods. Salty food is no good if you have high blood pressure or borderline blood pressure as it does increase it. Salt also causes you body to retain water making you feel bloated and bigger.... and is it just me, but have you noticed that you tend to have more bags under your eyes the day after you have eaten some nice unhealthy salt induced meal????
2. Say no to MSG
MSG is an additive used for flavor; it is known to have addictive effects on the human body, increase your insulin and other toxic effects on the human body when consumed on a regular basis. MSG is found in seasoning cubes such as maggi, knorr as well as in seasoning packets of indomin and instant noodles. So take it easy on the MSG, look out for seasoning that clearly states "Contains No MSG" or just stick to good ole salt and pepper.
3. Cook With Healthier Oil
Use extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oil when you can as opposed to groundnut oil and palm oil. Any oil that is solid at room temperature is very bad your your body and will clog your arteries faster.
"Oils can be classified under four categories as per their fat content: saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Unsaturated oils are more beneficial and healthier. ...remember that oils are better cold pressed and organic rather than refined. Refining them reduces their health properties. There is no one 'best cooking oil'; each has their own benefits and drawbacks. Simply choose the one that works best for you. Avoid trans fats. Hydrogenated vegetable oil contain trans fats. These elevate cholesterol levels, putting your heart at risk."
4. Grill, Bake, Broil or Boil instead of Frying
This helps to cut down on all the extra greasy food. And if you must fry, do yourself a favor and drain extra oil or place a sheet or two of kitchen roll paper on a plate and use it to dab off and absorb the extra oil... do your heart a favor :)
5. Make water your drink of choice
Its no secret that water does our body good, cut down on the fizzy, alcohol and juice in the box. Start off by just drinking an extra glass or bottle of water a day and work your way up. Here is a nice little picture of water and our body.
6. Cut back on the late night eating and eat smaller portions of food more frequently as opposed to eating large portions in one sitting.
Now doing all this will NOT get you abs like that, but its a start . . . to get results like the one above, please join a gym, go on a regular basis and get a trainer :)
