IndexSteps to maintain a well-balanced dietReduce the number of caloriesNever skip a mealFeeling full Thinking about the futureDue to a busy schedule we often find it difficult to keep track of how balanced our diet daily it is. Furthermore, we assume that a healthy meal will be boring or tasteless, so we often choose fast food, pre-cooked or packaged foods. This type of food always has a long list of ingredients, which is often not a good sign because sodium, many preservatives and also many calories are hidden there. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssaySteps to Maintaining a Well-Balanced DietReduce the Number of CaloriesTo change your diet, you need to reduce the number of calories you eat each day. This means you should avoid (or reduce) excess dietary fats (butter, margarine, beef fat, pork fat, etc.) and quick-release sugars because they are stored as fat in your body. Better instead to eat vegetables, fruits and lean proteins, good carbohydrates (e.g. oats, rye, brown rice etc.), good fats (e.g. avocados, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, olives, olive oil etc.). You may also want to reduce the amount of food you eat at each meal. Additionally, according to the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, calorie restriction keeps age-related diseases at bay. Never skip a meal You should not skip meals, especially breakfast, which must be abundant, but on the other hand, dinner must be light. Researchers at the University of Hohenheim in Germany found that on days when you skipped meals, others had extra calories to make up for the skipped meal, so in fact, if you skip a meal you don't eat less. Ideally you need to eat 3 meals a day and two snacks (healthy such as fruit, vegetables, almonds, etc.). Also, it can be very helpful to have a meal and snack schedule and try not to eat anything else between meals. If you feel hungry you should drink water, coffee or tea (without sugar). It may also be helpful to keep a meal diary where you write down each meal time, ideas, or number of calories, so you can track your diet. Feeling of satiety To help you with your diet, it is best to choose starches in your meals (as often as possible) such as wholemeal pasta or bread, brown rice, etc. They make you feel full and provide you with the energy you need. Additionally, a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that protein-rich food also leads to a feeling of satiety. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom EssayThink AheadLast but not least, one of the most important steps in maintaining a well-balanced diet is to think about your schedule. Try to plan the meals you have to cook so as to avoid food waste (for example if you have lunch with a client you shouldn't cook for that day). Then create your menu taking into account the advice provided so far to keep your meals nutritionally balanced. Try shopping on the weekend with a grocery list that includes each of the ingredients you'll need to cook for an entire week. Furthermore, to better organize your shopping list you can sort the ingredients by section: meat, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, etc. The last step is to prepare and package the food and store it in plastic containers so you have easy access to it.