Diet Changes to Make After You Turn 30

Unfortunately, you’ve reached your big 3-0, meaning you’re getting older. This might not be something you ever imagined doing but it happened and you definitely feel it. You might be noticing calories sticking much better than before and certain foods causing you a world of discomfort and lack of energy. By all means, being 30 is not old—you’re actually in your best years according to many—so make sure to feel that way as well. Here are a few diet changes to make after you turn 30 for the best decade of your life!

Do eat more fiber

We all know that fiber provides you with regular bowel movements, but it does so much more than that. According to research, a fiber-rich diet reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and even some cancers. The research results concluded that every eight grams of fiber reduce the risk of chronic disease anywhere from 5% to 27%, depending on the disease. The best protection is noticed when the daily fiber intake was between 25 and 29 grams per day. Still, most adults get only half of that amount.

Another benefit of fiber you might love to learn about in your 30s is its ability to lengthen telomeres. Let’s explain: telomeres are DNA proteins located at the end of chromosomes and used to protect the genome and fend off diseases. With age, these protein structures shorten, especially if the individual smokes, overeats, doesn’t sleep enough, and stresses a lot. The longer the telomeres the better, and fiber can help keep them nice, long, and slinky.

Do cut back on alcohol

Many of us have created a habit of social drinking in college, and while a glass of wine or beer every now and then won’t hurt your health, it’s time to reduce your alcohol consumption once you turn 30. This move will provide you with many benefits from boosting your energy and providing you with better sleep to cutting calories and maintaining a healthy weight. According to guidelines made by health professionals, men should keep their alcohol consumption at two drinks per day or less, while women should have no more than one daily drink (one drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor). Abusing alcohol can lead to many health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, and cancer, but it also causes you to gain weight, which gets harder to regulate the older you get.

Do start taking supplements

There are many essential vitamins and minerals people in their 30s need to survive and thrive. Most of these you can get through food, but if you don’t have time to cook every day, it’s important to supplement your diet with the right nutrients. You can first grab some omega-3 fatty acid pills to improve mood and cognition, reduce inflammation, reduce the risks of cardiovascular issues and improve your brain health. There are also great vitamin cocktails you can take daily after consulting with your doctor. Next, if you’re serious about working out yet you’re starting to struggle with consistency, you can rely on quality pre-workout powder to make every session much easier and more effective. There are different pre-workouts on the market today, so try them out and see which one works best for you (just make sure to follow the guidelines).

Don’t avoid fats

There’s a huge misconception that fat is bad for you. The truth is that good fats can actually do a lot of good, like keeping your weight down and providing you with energy. In your 30s, don’t hesitate to finally start eating some homemade avocado toast and bringing full-fat yogurt to work—you’ll love the results.

Don’t go with quantity over quality

Like with many things in life, quality is more important than quality when it comes to the foods you eat. This is something you’ll realize in your 30s for sure, but better sooner than later. For instance, calories from a nutritious meal made with whole foods will be much better processed than calories from a donut washed down with soda. Most junk foods are very low in nutrients so they can actually boost hunger instead of satisfying it.

Don’t follow fad diets

You might have lost your 20s to dieting, but it’s time to quit that habit. Fad dieting is one of the biggest myths about weight loss which should be replaced with a healthy lifestyle. These trendy diets promise great results, but they often do nothing but cause you to gain all the weight back very quickly. Instead, pick a healthy form of eating and exercising which matches your lifestyle, and remain consistent.

Turning 30 can be a wonderful thing if you just pay a little more attention to your lifestyle, especially your diet. All of these items above do not require any drastic changes to your life, but once they become your new habits, you will be so thankful for your new choices.