Here are 8 tips on how to eat a balanced diet.

1. Say NO to processed and sweetened products. Part of eating a balanced diet is understanding which foods are good for you and which ones are not. For example: artificial sodas and/or juices contain no nutritional value and are full of high calories. When you identify this and make changes you will have taken a big step in the right direction.
2. Eat more protein, add more vegetables. Protein is crucial to feeling full, which helps you avoid overeating. In addition to this, vegetables obtain a majority of nutrients that can provide you with a variety of benefits for your health.
3. Make time for foods that satisfy you. When we balance meals in all aspects, we feel full faster and for a longer time. If the food you eat smells good, is colorful, and you’re excited to eat it, you’re already getting your needs met, you’ll have fewer cravings between meals, and you’ll eat less overall.
4. Separate feelings from food. Review the “whys” behind each eating habit. When you use food to satisfy your emotional needs, you tend to choose unhealthy foods such as pizza, cookies, ice cream, among others… This satisfaction will last a short time, only while you are consuming it, then you will feel the same, as a result you will still feel sad and you will have eaten poorly too.
5. Rest and recover. When you are well rested, you are more likely to make appropriate and rational choices.
6. Eat when you are hungry. Skipping meals, whether on purpose or by accident, leads to low energy, mood swings, and overeating. Listen to your body, because when you can tune in to your natural hunger, you have a clue as to exactly when it’s time to eat, and you’re more likely to stray from your goals.
7. Create a supportive atmosphere. Take time to prepare your meals in advance. Because you don’t know what the day can bring you. By preparing meals in advance, it will be easy for you to choose balanced meals. Especially when you are tired or short on time. Also replace bad options in the supermarket with healthy snacks. A home full of healthy options and free from temptation makes it easier to select foods that are part of a balanced diet.
8. Don’t let the weekends become a slump. Focusing on a balanced diet doesn’t end on Friday afternoon when you finish work. Going out to a fun dinner once in a while is fine, but you always want to keep achieving your goals for a long time. Therefore, plan ways to help yourself avoid delays. Challenge yourself to find solutions to common weekend scenarios, before they happen.
   • What healthy foods can you choose if you go out to a restaurant?
   • How can you keep busy to avoid boredom?
   • What types of healthy meals can I prepare before going to the beach?
   • What could you eat before going to the movies and avoid popcorn?

Keep all these tips in your mind or print them and put them in a visible place so that it always reminds you what you want to achieve.