Amy Good

With a plethora of articles published online it's possible that some of them are mere click baits. The onus is on us to separate the wheat from chaff. How?

Hiking, or tramping along nature trails, gives you time and space to think independently, away from the ever-critical social media. You can see the bigger picture and approach problems with a new outlook. As you meditate on the beauty of nature and the natural history of your land, far from ugly concrete jungles, you are impelled to value and preserve the Earth. Regular hiking also checks high BP and heart diseases.

Substitute unhealthy binge foods for healthier ones. For eg. swap milk chocolates with dark chocolates. Go easy on the fries and sweets. We often mistake thirst for hunger. Train your gut to follow a fixed routine, so you feel hungry at specific times and understand when you are full. Trace your eating patterns to unearth triggers that push you to overeat. Solve the root emotional problem first.

Settle in a community that encourages walking. Choose jobs closer to home to reduce wasteful commuting. Socialize by meeting people face-to-face. Enroll in a club with like-minded people, or start one. Avoid financial traps like credit cards and rather focus on experiencing life and creating memories. Set up your home with fewer screens. Volunteer and spread love.

Plants proteins offer more vitamins and minerals than animal proteins and have lots of fiber, that controls blood sugar and keeps digestive tract healthy. They contain less fat and little to no cholesterol. Beans of all varieties, lentils and nuts are great sources of these proteins. Add protein rich mushrooms topping in pizza and include broccoli in everyday dishes.

To tackle my fear of weight gain, I concentrated on a few areas to overcome it: Setting goals to lose weight, trying new foods as a challenge, discovering new ways to prepare these foods, indulging in fun activities for weight loss like a Zumba class and entering a no judgement zone. Also, i try picking nutritious foods and appreciating the body I have.

Growing up, I couldn't have cared less about cooking, nutrition or health. I could have eaten a grilled cheese sandwich every day and been...