By Xhiljola Nano

Eating healthy can be tricky due to all the different non-fat, low-fat, whole grain, whole wheat, and organic products. All these options makes it difficult for people to differentiate what is actually healthy from what is just being advertised as healthy. It’s very important to remember, however, that when approaching a healthy diet eating natural food is the best road to take. Even though it may seem hard at first, eliminating processed food can make all the difference.

First, in order to speed up the metabolism, it is necessary to eat at least six times a day. By doing this, the body does not go into starvation mode and is constantly burning fat to maintain energy. Three of the meals should be small healthy snacks and the other three should be breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Also, switching to a healthy diet does not mean depriving yourself of food you like, but rather finding better replacements. For example: when eating breakfast, instead of making traditional pancakes with eggs and flour, make a protein pancake with egg whites and protein powder. You can also add in fruit and a pack of Stevia for a bit of sweetness, or if you want to treat yourself to chocolate chip pancakes, dark organic chocolate is always a great alternative (and quite fulfilling). 

Second, it is important to understand what you are putting in your body. You are making a big mistake if you are constantly eating food and not reading what ingredients are in it. Anything with ingredients that are hard to pronounce will most likely be hard for your body to break down. When your body does not know how to burn food, then it starts storing fat and packing on the pounds. 

Therefore, you need to change your consciousness of food. When you reach for that  snack, instead of eating a Special K bar, choose blueberries and almonds, or grapefruit and cashews. When making a salad, avoid using dressing. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a much healthier option, and tastes great too. 

Third, try not to eat dinner past 7pm and keep it the lightest meal of the day. A nice green salad with some chicken breast is perfect. Protein is essential in healthy diets because it gives you the energy to work out and keep active throughout the day. If you become hungry after dinner, try to keep snacks to reasonable portions of fruits or vegetables. And most importantly, drink lots of water. In fact, as soon as you wake up you should drink two glasses of water before eating breakfast. This small tip can make a huge difference. 

Healthy eating can seem like a science...because it is, but it is so important and worth your attention. At first, it may seem a little hard to maintain, but once you understand how it works, your body will crave these healthy choices and adjust to new eating habits quickly. Making the proper switch is not a diet, it is a lifestyle change. Learn how to eat natural foods the right way and at the right time,. and avoid weighing yourself.  You’ll soon start to notice a difference in your skin, body, hair, nails and overall health, then you’ll be thanking yourself for the positive adjustment.