When it comes to eating well, most of us do it with the intention of losing weight but there are a lot more benefits to fuelling your body properly than just what the scales say.
Here are 5 benefits to eating well that are nothing to do with weight:
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Energy
It’s pretty much a fact that you can not feel properly energised with a poor diet, so eating a balanced and nutritious meal plan every day is essential to keeping you feeling energised.
Too many unhealthy carbs and refined sugars in your diet create short and temporary energy highs but it’s proteins and fibres that provide slower releasing energy that keeps your energy levels up and at a consistent level for longer periods of time.
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Reduces Risk of Many Medical Conditions
There are so many medical conditions that come with an increased risk if you’re carrying too much weight and this risk can be reduced by maintaining a healthy diet.
Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers and heart conditions can all be affected by a poor diet and being considered overweight, so eating well really does have a direct impact on the inside of your body, as well as the outside.
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Strong Bones and Teeth
Eating a lot of processed and unhealthy foods can leave you at risk of calcium deficiency which can lead to weak bones and teeth, which brings its own set of problems.
A healthy and balanced diet should naturally provide you with all the calcium you need and this can be found in foods such as dairy and vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.
Strong bones will reduce joint pains and chance of injury while strong teeth are essential for oral hygiene and dental health.
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Mental Health and Confidence
We’ve spoken before on the blog about the mental health benefits of being the right weight but we can’t stress enough how a healthy and balanced diet impacts the mind in so many positive ways.
As well as your confidence being higher than ever, depression is usually more manageable and less severe when fuelling your body properly, so even if you don’t think you need to worry about your diet from a weight perspective, do it for your mind!
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The Financial Benefits
There’s a really common misconception that eating well is expensive, especially in comparison to processed or ‘junk food’ but if you plan your meals, cook your own food at home and don’t rely on pre-made healthy meals, you can make a real saving.
Fruit and vegetables are super affordable, as are carbohydrates such as brown rice and pasta. Meats also don’t have to be expensive, opting for the often ‘less desirable’ cuts such as chicken thighs and pork tenderloin will see more pennies stay in your purse.
So, even if your weight and BMI are considered healthy, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to pay attention to your diet.
Eating well has a knock-on effect for so many elements of your physical and mental wellbeing, many of which you may not even realise are being impacted by a poor diet, so always keep an eye on what you’re eating!
Healthy eating is about balance and enjoying everything in moderation – don’t forget that!
