The Sana Method
1. Eat consciously
Often, we give no thought to what we are putting into our mouths. Bite, chew, swallow, done. We are busy talking, scrolling on our smartphone or watching television. That is why it is important to be aware of what you are eating and really enjoy your meal.
- Keep track of your eating habits in a dietary diary for a few weeks if necessary. This way, you will eat more consciously, which will help establish more structured and regular eating habits. Chew well and enjoy every bite.
- Do not overeat. Stop eating when your stomach is 80% full.
- Adopt conscious grocery shopping habits. Choose pure and fresh foods as much as possible and buy less packaged foods full of additives with almost illegible food labels.
2. Drink plenty of water
On average, we lose 2.5 litres of moisture per day. We replenish 1 litre of lost moisture through water we get from our food (especially from fruit and vegetables!). Therefore, drink 1.5 litres per day to fully restore liquid levels. Thirst usually indicates a lack of moisture.
- Start your day with a glass of water.
- Drink a glass of water approximately every 1.5 hours. You can add some lime, ginger or fresh mint for extra taste.
- Link drinking a glass of water to a certain action. This way, it will be easy to make a habit of it. For instance, drink as soon as you get up or when you get to work.
- High-quality green tea and herbal infusions are a fantastic alternative to water as well.
- Love your coffee? 2 to 3 cups a day can still be part of a healthy lifestyle.
3. Start with a healthy breakfast
A good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day. Start the day with sweets, and you will crave more sweets all day long. That is why it is important choose a breakfast that gives you lots and lots of energy and makes you feel satisfied. My favourite breakfast during the working week? Natural yoghurt with fresh fruit and granola. My top choice for breakfast is the Sana Cashew nut Pumpkin seed granola.
4. Treat yourself to one or two healthy snacks
Prepare the right snacks and take them to work. That way, you will not come home hungry in the evening; you will eat much more calmly and therefore more consciously.
- Fruit and/or nuts are the best in-between snacks. Our healthy granola bites are also ideal to take along as a healthy snack.
- Vegetables (soup) or natural yoghurt with fruit, nuts and seeds are great snacks as well.
- Sandra's books are full of inspiration for fibre-rich and healthy snacks.
- Bla.
5. Go for colour on your plate
Vegetables in the lead role! Vegetables are the food of choice for staying healthy, slim and vital for a long time. Eating more vegetables is perhaps the most important step towards a healthier diet!
Incorporate vegetables in your meals in a fun way! Use vegetables to make oven fries, a spaghetti zucchini or use them in sauces. Adjust the amount of carbohydrates to your level of physical activity. Do you have an inactive lifestyle and/or do you want to lose weight? Then replace the carbohydrates in your evening meal with extra vegetables.
6. Create variety with super foods
Super food is not just synonymous with all kinds of special exotic berries or powders. A tasty Belgian apple, blueberries, broccoli, almonds and turmeric are also true health bombs. The list is huge, so it is very easy and fun to experiment with them and create variety in your diet. Eat many different colours of fruit and vegetables to get a rich mixture of healthy vegetable substances.
7. Be more active
Sitting is the new smoking. That is quite a strong statement, but the truth is that we really do not move enough. Do not worry if you do not like sports, walking more often can already make a world of difference. Every little bit helps. So make it a good habit.