Simple Preparation Ideas To Make Your Favorite Meals Healthier

Becoming fit and healthy is hard. We all know this well. It’s an uphill battle, where every lapse in attention and work can cost you weeks of progress. But staying fit and balanced is far harder, especially as it requires far more discipline, self-control, and attention to everything you do, and more importantly, eating. If you have a healthy diet, the actual work and exercise you have to put in are far less strenuous and easier to maintain. First of all, obviously, avoid fast and junk food, as these are unhealthy no matter your fitness condition. Instead, try and prepare meals yourself, so you know exactly what you’re eating and how it will affect you. Of course, this takes more effort and time than just ordering a burger, but in the long run, you certainly won’t regret it. Start small, maybe 3, or 4 recipes a week at first. Cooking healthy is important, so let’s look at some simple preparation ideas to make your favorite food healthier.

Plan

Planning ahead is half the work. Choose which recipes you’re going to make for the week, choose the tools accordingly, and choose carefully which one to purchase if you don’t have it yet. For example, if you’re going to BBQ with the family on the weekend, enjoy the outdoors, and let the folks from RTAoutdoorliving aid you in picking out the very best tools for the job. Once you’ve acquired the necessary paraphernalia, it’s time to make the shopping list.

Shopping

See if you can find a healthier version of whatever is currently on your list. For example, when it comes to milk, cheese, or the like, pick out the lower-fat versions. You can buy non-stick pots, pans, etc., so you won’t require as much cooking oil. If you add fat to your cooking, use oils like olive or canola oil, which are more natural. Don’t buy too much of everything, as it won’t only be a waste of money, but often the food isn’t all eaten once it’s cooked and might spoil in the fridge, to no one’s benefit. You should, however, stock up on seasonal vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit, etc that won’t go bad as easily, so you can also make great food and healthy desserts on a whim.

Be Delicate in Preparations 

Vitamins that are water soluble are fragile and can be destroyed far too easily during cooking, so we should try and mitigate the nutrient losses. Try scrubbing vegetables instead of peeling them, as many vitamins are close to the skin, and you may accidentally peel off a lot of them with the skin. You should try and steam, or maybe even microwave, vegetables instead of boiling them. Try to use a small amount of water, and keep an eye on the clock so as not to overboil them. Stir-fry recipes are very good for these methods, as the vegetables are cooked quickly to retain their precious nutrients, so give them a chance; they are very easy to make but very tasty recipes. 

Salt

One of the most important commodities in history; the white gold. Fairy tales have been passed down concerning it. Salt. We love salty foods, and we always add some extra, but the truth is, it’s already hidden in many of them beforehand, and sadly, a high salt diet can be unhealthy, leading to problems such as high blood pressure. Lamentably, we’re going to have to be more careful when it comes to the white gold. Test the food first before adding the salt. Add a splash of olive oil, vinegar, or perhaps some lemon juice just before you’re finished cooking, as it’s able to enhance the flavor in the same way salt does. Try and limit the consumption of salty processed foods such as salami, corned beef, smoked salmon, etc. Try to reduce your usage of tomato sauce, soy sauce, and other processed sauces, and also condiments like mayonnaise and salad dressings, as they all contain high levels of salt, which can be avoided. 

Instead, Use Herbs

Herbs and spices can be a great alternative to salt in your cooking. Dry herbs are powerful in flavor and can be added whenever you like. Fresh herbs, however, aren’t quite as strong and should be added to the food when it’s almost done cooking, as 4 teaspoons of fresh herbs equal about 1 teaspoon of dried herbs in strength, so keep that in mind while preparing your delicious, healthy meal. 

Other tips

Your mindset and psychology are crucial not only for food but for everything in your life. Stressed people gain weight much faster, hair loss is accelerated, and even heart problems are more likely to appear in people who are always highly stressed. So try and keep an even keel, and find time to calm your mind, and, in consequence, your body. Go outside, and breathe plenty of fresh air. When you’re eating, maybe try and eat outside every once in a while, away from screens and other distractions. Eat slowly and chew well before swallowing, so you don’t risk overeating. Make small steps in your diet, slow and steady, instead of restrictive eating or crash diets that you most likely won’t be able to see through anyway.

“Your body is a temple” is perhaps one of the most disingenuous and narcissistic statements of our modern age, but it fits our situation perfectly. Your body should be a “place” of peace and tranquility, control and contentment, not gluttony, self-destruction, and anxiety. The food you eat is crucial to your physical and psychological well-being, with the potential for both disaster and perfect harmony, so treat it as such. Be mindful of what you eat, prepare it with care, and your body will thank you for it. This guide is intended to help you comprehend the significance of a good diet, how it can improve both your physical and mental well-being and how it may present you with a wealth of previously unimaginable prospects. Finding balance in life is one of the keys to happiness and health, and the food we eat plays a large role in finding that balance, so we should be careful in monitoring what we consume.