You’d be surprised at the sheer number of people who are interested in how to eat only healthy food but find it extremely difficult. This is confirmed by data from Statista on shopping attitudes towards healthy foods.

Sadly, between conflicting studies on the benefits of certain foods, the allure of unhealthy fast foods, and the sluggishness of noticeable differences when we start eating healthy, it’s easy to understand why people lack the motivation to change their diets.

Regardless, it is crucial to get rid of bad foods and adopt a healthier diet for several reasons that all relate to being healthier and living longer. According to the CDC, some benefits of healthier eating include:

• Improved digestive functions. 
• Improved immunity. 
• Increased bone strength. 
• Muscular support. 
• Lower risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease. 

But what good are these benefits if eating well is so complicated? Well, that’s just it; eating well can be easy. You just have to follow some simple steps we compiled from dietary experts, and you’ll be eating healthy in no time.

Check out this related article on What Foods Should We Eat to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle?

• Add healthy food to the junk 

There’s a common belief that you must remove all unhealthy foods from your diet to eat healthily. This can make adjusting to a healthy diet a difficult thing to do. Thankfully, some dieticians believe you can have the best of both worlds.

You can keep your favorites while adding healthier options to augment the unhealthy parts. For instance, if you’re eating noodles, you can add vegetables or proteins in the form of eggs and roasted meat. 

Basically, if you’ve ever wondered, “can I eat only healthy food?”. The answer is you don’t have to if you mix and match. But of course, you will benefit more if you stick to healthier meals than unhealthy alternatives.

• Eat more fiber 

Eating foods that are high in fiber is a self-care idea because fiber is an essential nutrient for the body. It can help with weight loss, while combating constipation, heart disease, and cancers.

Some foods that are high in fiber include:

• Whole grains.  
• Beans. 
• Potatoes. 
• Nuts such as almonds.
• Vegetables such as broccoli. 

•  Don’t starve yourself 

Eating healthy foods requires that you do just that, eat food. You should not starve yourself as this can negatively affect your health goals.

The body knows when it is hungry, and it will tell you. Hormones, physical activities, and other factors can change these times daily, so you shouldn’t blame yourself if you feel hungry at irregular times.

Avoid going for long hours without food, as this is a recipe for fatigue. Instead, try to eat slowly and in smaller quantities every three to four hours while awake.

1. Eat more protein 

If you want to know how to implement a healthy diet, then you cannot go wrong with more protein in your diet. 

Protein is considered the most filling nutrient, with studies confirming that high-protein meals can inhibit the production of hormones that cause hunger.

Other benefits to proteins include increased muscle mass, stronger bones, reduced blood pressure, and faster recovery from injuries.

You should therefore try to add proteins to every meal if possible. Eggs have very high protein content so consider cooking a batch of them and storing them for use in different meals throughout the week. 

• Practice batch cooking and combinations 

Batch cooking can help you with efforts on how to eat only healthy foods because you get to plan ahead for the types of food that you want. 

Sometimes when we are running behind schedule, we tend to eat junk foods because they’re easier to make and more readily available. If you cooked food in bulk on weekends and then stored them for the week, you’d have healthier alternatives even when you’re in a hurry. 

Dieticians recommend you cook different batches of food and then mix them up throughout the week. For instance, you could cook some rice and pasta, meat and eggs, and then roast some vegetables. One day you could have pasta and meat; another would see rice, eggs, and vegetables.

•  More meal prep equals less stress 

Coming up with a meal plan for the week can contribute towards how to implement healthy nutrition. It helps you plan ahead for the healthy meals you can make, thereby reducing the stress of worrying about what to prepare. 

Most people fail at meal prep because they make it stressful for themselves. You don’t have to sit down and rack your brain for a meal plan in one sitting; this is something you can do throughout the week.

For instance, you can take notes of meal ideas you come across throughout the week from friends, websites, and social media and then compile them on weekends. Not only will this reduce the stress attached to meal planning, but it would also give you a greater variety of dishes to prepare.

• More cooking it yourself, less eating outside 

Cooking your own meals is featured on basically every list that has to do with how to have healthy nutrition. When you cook your own meals, you get to monitor what you’re putting into your body, giving you more control over your meal plans.

You also get to save on spending on food outside, and you get to learn new dishes that will contribute to your health goals.

We’re not saying you shouldn’t eat outside, but we do recommend that it should be the exception and not the norm. 

•  Eat before you step out 

Going out hungry increases the chances of eating outside. Not only does this negatively impact your budget, but it would also give you less control over what you eat.

Unhealthy foods such as junk food are so readily available that you might opt for them just to satisfy your hunger.

To avoid such unhealthy options, you should grab a bite before stepping out. And if you’re really in a hurry, take a healthy snack that you can munch on until you get back.

This is also one of the main reasons why meal prepping and batch cooking is important.

• Drink Water? Yes!  

Speaking of how to get rid of an unhealthy diet, eating healthy also includes what you drink. Many people prefer sugary drinks to water when it should be the opposite.

Water has several advantages that make it the holy grail of drinks, such as better calorie control, maximized physical performance, and better-looking skin.

Also, drinking water before a meal helps to reduce your appetite. 

So before you take that sugary drink that will put you at higher risk of obesity and Type-2  diabetes, think about how much better off you would be with water. 

• Don’t eat too fast 

Studies have shown that eating slowly leads to eating less food. The logic behind this is that it takes the brain some time to perceive that you’re already full. You could be satisfied but continue eating because your brain hasn’t received the memo.

Therefore when you eat fast, you get more food into your body than you need before the brain tells you to stop. 

Preventing this requires you to eat less like you’re being chased by dogs and more like a food connoisseur savoring every bite. You should also know that chewing your food slowly means chewing it thoroughly, which has health benefits.

So there you have it, to eat healthily, eat slower.

•  Use smaller plates 

Food psychology is vital to eating well because the brain must be tricked every now and then to comply.

One way of doing so is to use small plates when serving food. The brain would be tricked into feeling full when you finish one or two plates even though the quantity would be less because of the smaller plate.

You’ll end up eating less and still be filled up. A win-win situation.

•  Baking + Roasting > Frying 

How to know if food is healthy? Check the cooking style. Frying is one of the most popular ways of cooking food and yet one of the most unhealthy. 

When you eat fried food, you eat chemical compounds that have been linked to certain types of cancer and heart disease. You also increase your chances of uncontrolled weight gain. 

Consider using healthier cooking methods, such as roasting, baking, roasting, and pressure cooking. And when you bake, it would be best to use whole grain flour as these are high and fiber and benefit the body in other ways.

This also applies to the snacks you take. For instance, baked potatoes pose less health risk than french fries. 

• Keep healthy snacks within reach 

When you’re hungry, it’s easy to eat whatever you see around you. This is how we end up consuming unhealthy snacks such as sugary biscuits and candy. 

Get rid of junk food and replace them with healthier options such as fruits and nutritious snacks. Keep them around you in your fridge and cute little baskets at home and work. That way, hunger won’t make you an accessory to the crime of munching on unhealthy foods.

• Shop from a list 

Before shopping, make a list of the foods that you will buy and stick to it. This would help you avoid unnecessary and unhealthy purchases. That way, you not only save time and money, but you also get to stay on track to healthy eating.

Your list should also tell you where to buy healthy food. You don’t want to go to a shop that stocks more unhealthy foods than nutritious ones. That’s a temptation you can do without. 

• Remember, nuts and seeds are your friends

Plenty can be said about how to eat only healthy food, but none would be complete without mentioning the value of nuts and seeds in a health-giving diet.

Nuts and seeds are a source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, and unsaturated fat. They also come with minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and potassium. 

In addition to being so evidently nutritious, nuts and fruits are also versatile as food. You can eat them as snacks or cook them in various dishes.

But remember, it’s better to replace your snacks with nuts and seeds instead of adding them because they come with high amounts of calories – the good ones. 

Eating right is one of several things you need to do to remain healthy. Check out other ways you can protect your health and lengthen your life.

Frequently Asked Questions 

How can I eat only healthy?

• Eat more fibers and proteins. 
• Drink more water and less sugary drinks. 
• Include nuts and seeds in your meals. 
• Practice meal prepping and cook more dishes at home. 
• Don’t eat too fast. 
• Keep healthy snacks and fruits around for when you get hungry between meals. 

What happens if you eat only healthy foods?

• There are fewer chances of you having cancer.
• Your heart will be healthier. 
• You’ll have stronger bones and muscles. 
• You’ll sleep better. 
• You’ll feel more energetic for longer.
• Your body will function as it should from gaining the necessary nutrients. 
• Your gut will thank you for its improved health. 

How can I eat healthy without trying?

• Use smaller plates when you serve food. 
• Eat slower to allow your brain that you’re full when you are. 
• Keep healthy snacks such as fruits and nuts around. 
• Display healthier foodstuff in your kitchen and keep the unhealthy ones hidden. That way, you aren’t tempted to eat them.
• Shop on the store’s outer aisles because this is where healthy foods are usually kept.
• Sit down to eat and always use plates. This allows you to know just how much you’re consuming.

All in all…

Healthy eating often seems like a complicated thing to do, but it isn’t. There are healthy alternatives that taste amazing and would still give you the necessary nutrients you need. You just need to find the foods you enjoy and build a meal plan around them.

Also, feel free to indulge in some junk food every now and then so long as it doesn’t happen often, and you exercise and get rid of the extra calories.