Drink plenty of water – On an average, a person should drink 6 to 8 glasses (1.2 liters) of water every day to avoid getting dehydrated. The body demands more water when we work hard or the weather is warm. However, one should refrain from drinking soft and fizzy drinks, which contain

high amount of sugar.  We lose some amount of water every day from our body by way of perspiration, respiration and urination. Therefore, we should replace this to stay healthy.

Do not skip breakfast – Skipping breakfast is bad for health. Breakfast is an essential meal of the day, which not only gives us the energy we require through the day but also a lot of minerals and vitamins we need for good health. There have been instances which suggest that people can even control their weight by eating breakfast. Therefore, for a healthy start to the day one should take a glass of fruit juice along with a bowl of wholegrain cereal with some low-fat milk.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables – Everyone is aware of the fact that we should eat more vegetables and fruits. However, most of us do not eat enough. We should try and eat minimum 5 different kinds of vegetables and fruits every day. We can also add up the portions in a day. For example, we can have a banana or a glass of juice along with cereal at breakfast and a mixture of fruit and vegetable salad at lunch. As an afternoon snack, you can have a pear and for your evening meal vegetables or a portion of peas.

Eat less salt – Adults – and children over 11, on an average, should not consume more than 6gm of salt in a day. People do not add salt to their food and think that they do not eat much salt. However, the food we buy already contains enough salt, like soups, ready meals, sauces and breakfast cereals. So, without realizing you could actually be eating too much salt.

Low on Sugar – Most people across the world eat a lot of sugar. All of us should try and eat minimum foods that contain added sugar, such as biscuits, cakes and sweets. We should also drink less sugary and soft drinks. Frequent consumption of sugary foods, especially between meals, can cause tooth decay. Most of the foods that have added sugar are high in calories. Therefore, cutting down on sugar intake can help control weigh.

Meals should be based on Starchy foods – Starchy foods such as potatoes, pasta, rice, cereals and bread are an essential part of a healthy diet.

Whenever you can, try to choose wholegrain varieties of starchy foods. They are a major source of different nutrients and a good source of energy in our diet. Majority of us should eat more starchy foods. With each of the main meals, try to include at least one starchy food.

Intake of fish – Fish contains many minerals and vitamins and is an excellent source of protein. Two portions of fish daily are what a person should aim for. You can select from canned, frozen or fresh fish – but keep in mind that smoked and smoked fish can be high in salt. Anyone who eats fish regularly should choose to eat as wide a variety as possible.

– It is not advisable to be either overweight or underweight. Being overweight can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease. At the same time, being underweight can also affect your health. You can take advice from your dietician in case you are worried about your weight. However, if you think you just need to lose a little weight, the main things to remember are eat less, eat right and be active. Physical activity helps control weight and is also a good way of using up extra calories.

If you have ever read a fitness magazine chances are you have read that it is better to eat 6 meals a day then 3. The experts behind this idea are really on to something and I highly suggest eating more meals, that is right more meals, over the traditional 3 meals.

If you are beginning to incorporate this idea into your lifestyle then it may be helpful to understand why it is a great idea. Since birth most people are groomed to eat three meals a day but this is your time to break away.

This will truly help to boost your efforts to get the body you want. It may be a challenge at first but it will become second nature quickly after feeling the results! And you will say good-bye to stomach gargles and that obnoxious 11:30 pre-lunch stomach growling.

So without further ado here are the perks and benefits of the more food time diet!

1. INCREASES METABOLISM: By giving smaller meals more frequently the body is food pyramidconstantly working to digest and voila! The metabolism is increasing. Remember that the faster your metabolism is, the more calories your body needs to function at 100% and therefore the easier it is to lose weight.

2. HELLO to ENERGY: will feel like the energizer bunny. Without having the up and down sugar levels your body will have extra energy and that annoying starvation feeling will be a memory!

3. BALANCE AND STABILITY: Sugar and insulin. Everyone has experienced dizziness lightheadedness, and fatigue when you have not eaten in a while, but why? That feeling comes when your body does not have enough sugar. Insulin is a hormone to keep sugar in balance, so when one if off so is the other. Eating every 2-3 hours helps to stabilize the hormone and the blood sugar that is REQUIRED by the body.

4. WEIGHT LOSS WITHOUT STARVATION: By allowing yourself the freedom to 6 small meals you are able to push the idea away that you need to starve yourself to lose weight

5. NUTRITIONAL EXPERT: By planning out your meals you are learning to be more conscious of what is being eaten. If you do no plan ahead then eating the extra snacks and meals becomes almost impossible. Snack machines and fast food are no longer options!

6. FEEDING THE MUSCLE: Learn to incorporate all food groups- protein, carbs, and fats (there are good for you fats) into every meal. Getting a balanced diet will through your muscle gains into full gear.