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Starting today, Monday 14th June is the BNF (British Nutrition Foundation) Health Eating week. The week is dedicated to looking back out our lifestyles over the past year, seek to improve your diet and wellbeing. Ultimately by the end of the week you should have 'found your healthier you'.

                                     

The British Nutrition Foundation have chose the message 'Find your healthier you' this year to be supported with five goals the BNF want us to achieve throughout the week. Those being:

• Know the facts - information, advice and myth busting.
• Make a healthier choice - tips and tools make better choices;
• Plan for success - ways to plan healthier meals and menus;
• Be the chef - how to cook healthier options, with links to recipes.
• Keep moving - promoting the importance of being active for health.

Let's take some time today to go through all of these goals and provide information on how we can achieve them as the week goes by;

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Before we make improvements to our lifestyles it is important to know the facts, providing practical advice and dispelling any myths:

Stay Hydrated - Drink plenty

This first important fact is to make sure you drink enough water throughout the day. It is recommended that we should drink 6 - 8 drinks a day. It doesn't have to be water (better if it is) you can drink anything, as long as it's healthy, to ensure that you have enough fluids in you. Especially through this summer - it is more important than ever.

Eating well

Having a healthy balanced diet with the right proportions is the next step to 'find your healthier  you'. By using the Eatwell Guide (as seen below) is a giant step in the right direction to balancing what is on your plate, taking time to ensure the energy intake from each meal is balanced. Planning appropriately will maintain what energy you consume to what you use throughout the day.

Increase your fibre

You would be surprised by the amount of people that forget to incorporate more fibre into their diets. Fibre is important for keeping the digestive system healthy, preventing constipation and overall making it easier to pass on waste. In order to get more fibre into you try switching from having white bread to wholegrain or instead of having coco-pops or golden nuggets (a tough but necessary sacrifice) have Weetabix or shredded wheat. These types of cereal can be complimented with fruit to have multiple of your 5-A-Day all in one breakfast.

Eat your 5-A-Day

May be a simple point but it is also a point that is easily forgotten. Make sure you eat your 5-a-day! Try swapping out your usual snacks like crisps and chocolate bars with bananas and apples, have a fruit bowl in your kitchen for easy access to fruit. This switch will make all the difference to your health.

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There is always a healthier choice to the food you eat; the one thing you have to do is make that decision. When going to the supermarket read the labels, decide based on what foods are healthier and more nutritious.

Why not try swapping some of your favourite foods out for their lower salt, fat or sugar counterparts. That way you can still have you favourite foods but in a way that your body will thank you.

Make sure you choose the right portions, limit yourself if you feel you are eating too much; naturally, if you find yourself eating too little then increase your portion sizes as mentioned above - it is all about balancing your energy intake - too little or too much will throw that out of balance. For your daily reference (according to the NHS) the average intake for adults is 8,400kj/2,000kcal. With total fat being less than 70g and saturates less than 20g.

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If you aim to 'find your healthier you' the best start is to make a plan and stick to it. This'll help you keep track of what you can do and it will help with changing your behaviour for the better, perhaps reducing the amount of takeaways and increase the amount of home meals being cooked. In addition to this, you will save lots of money.

The key to keeping the plan alive is to keep the meals varied and plan weeks ahead. This will give you time to buy all the ingredients for the meals and give you a chance to keep the menu fresh. No one would stick to a plan if it were the same food every day. Sometimes you might want to mix it up a little and head to a café of restaurant that makes the similar healthy food that you are sticking to.

Make sure to take your time, at first make small changes and when you are comfortable slowly increase the changes you make. It is important to track your progress and set goals to meet to keep you motivated.

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One of the best ways to start eating healthy is cooking your own meals. Doing this can help you pick up some useful tips allowing you to make tasty, healthier dishes and maybe provide more inspiration for recipes.

To get you started why not visit BBC Good food, that have a wide selection of healthy and nutritious meals that'll put you on the path to 'being your healthier you'.

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Eating healthy is not the only thing you can do to improve your lifestyle; exercise will also play a big part in that. Go on regular walks, head to the gym or play some sports. It is recommended for adults between the ages of 19 - 64 to be active for at least 150 minutes each week, or have 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week.

One of the hardest walls you can run against is trying to stay motivated. You have to be in the right mind set to work out - but once you get into that routine you will find it easier and more enjoyable. 

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Once you have incorporated these BNF healthy eating goals into your week's routine; try to stick with them! It will take some getting use to for your usual lifestyle to adapt but sticking to it will provide you the means to 'find your healthier you'. So even when the healthy eating week is finished - STICK TO IT!

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