Be Healthy

Soup Diet Recipes can help you learn to make the changes needed to be healthy. A balanced diet and exercise are essential to good health. Below we give you ideas about how to round out your soups with healthy sides and beverages. We also give you sound advice about how to start an exercise program.

HOW TO CREATE A BALANCED DIET MEAL PLAN:

1. If you are unsure about how changes in your diet will affect you, always consult your physician before beginning.

2. Be aware that there are many fad diets out there which encourage you to drastically cut back on certain foods – namely fat. This is not a good idea at all. Many people develop gallstones because of this. This is a very painful condition, so you’ll want to make sure you are getting enough fat, protein, and carbohydrates at every meal. These are the building blocks of good health.

3. Be prepared! Make a new soup every day and freeze in individual serving size containers. This will allow you to have a different soup at every meal. Your soups will contain a variety of ingredients and will be your main source of healthy nutrition. Be sure to eat a variety of different soups so that you are getting enough variety in your diet.

4. You don’t have to just eat soup! You can add side salads and bread to your meal. Don’t be afraid to eat a variety of whole foods, like fruit and fresh vegetables. You can also add pasta to certain soup recipes if you wish. Be sure to put a small amount of cooked pasta in serving bowls and ladle soup over it when ready to serve. The heat from the soup will warm the pasta and mixing it with the soup in the serving bowl at the last minute will keep the pasta from getting mushy in the pan and ruining the whole batch. If you are trying to lose weight, be aware of how many carbohydrates you are eating. Try to make it bread or pasta but not both. If you are trying to lose weight, please see our weight loss guide to help you with your portions.

5. Have something sweet, but healthy on hand for those sweet cravings! There are all natural sodas on the market which consist primarily of fruit juice and sparkling water. They are delicious! These really know how to satisfy a sweet craving when they hit. Another idea is to have fresh fruit on hand. You can make smoothies with many different fruits and berries or just eat them straight up.

HOW TO BEGIN AN EXERCISE PROGRAM:

1. If you are unsure about whether or not you are healthy enough to start an exercise program, always consult your physician before beginning.

2. Always do a light stretching routine before beginning any form of exercise. This will help lessen the likelihood of injuries.

3. Do cardio training. Start slow. Try a slow walk for 30 minutes a day. If you can’t do that, try 15 minutes. Do what you can, but don’t push yourself too hard at first. Eventually, try to do a light jog. Build on what you accomplish each day or each week and soon you’ll be running at a decent pace. This will keep your heart healthy and help you lose weight if that is your goal.

4. Do strength training. Again, start slow. If you do too much you could injure yourself and be unable to do anything until you heal. Start with your lower body and move up. Do some calf lifts, squat thrusts, sit ups, and wall push ups. Do this every other day to give your body time to heal.

5. There will be days when you feel like you don’t want to exercise. Try to encourage yourself to do something, even if it’s only 5 minutes. Listen to your body – It’s okay to give yourself a break when you need it, but exercise is essential to good health, so don’t let it become a habit.