Quiz: How healthy was yesterday?

RATE your nutrition by putting your eating habits to the test.

Family - mother, father and four children - doing jogging or outdoor sport for fitness on rural street

DO YOU have a skinny latte in the morning but skip your greens at lunch?

Run through this quick 10 step checklist to see how healthy you really are.

1. You ate something green yesterday

YES/NO

If you didn’t, you are not alone.

The last National Nutrition Survey reported 23% adults didn’t eat their vegetbales.

Green vegetables, which include broccoli, spinach, kale, capsicum, cucumber, silver beet, beans and peas are important for fibre for the bowel, packed with antioxidants to help your immune system and a great filler for your plate.

2. You used your leg power

YES/NO

We underestimate the power of walking even if it is just around the block.

Consistent activity is much better than thrashing yourself for 1 hour at the gym.

3. You ate your meals at home

YES/NO

While it is lovely to dine out, too much of a good thing can make you unhealthy.

Cooking for yourself means you control the ingredients and the serving size (and there’s always leftovers for lunch the next day).

4. You had designated meal times

YES/NO

Routine is so important especially to control your appetite.

Try to leave three hours between your meals and snacks (don’t pick just because it’s there), however skipping meals may cause you to overeat when next you sit down.

And remember enjoy the mealtime — never ‘dashboard or keyboard dine’ or eat in front of the TV- try to share a meal with someone at least a few times per week.

5. Did you munch on a piece of fruit

YES/NO

Sometimes we forget fruit is even there, often grabbing for packaged snacks instead.

Fruit is fresh, packed with vitamins and minerals and fibre as nature intended. Nothing processed, everything to gain.

6. Did you get a solid 6 hours sleep last night

YES/NO

Sleep is important to regulate the appetite and help the body repair itself.

Interrupted sleep or simply lack of sleep can be detrimental to your health. One in four Australians suffer from sleep apnoea which is a condition where the air supplied to the lungs is temporarily disrupted.

If you are feeling tired and lethargic see your GP

7. You poured a glass of water

YES/NO

Water is the best way to replenish losses through the day.

The body is between 50-75% water with average losses per day of up to 3L.

Alcohol, coffee and tea actually remove more water so when you are thirsty head to the tap.

8. Did you get your dose of vitamin D

YES/NO

A little bit of time outside is a good thing. 1 in 3 Australians are vitamin D deficient.

While small amounts of vitamin D come from your food, the most efficient way is by stepping out into the sun.

Ten to 15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure of the face, arms and hands before 10am or after 3pm, three to four times a week, will give you enough vitamin D without skin damage.

9. You ate until you were ¾ full

YES/NO

Eating till you are about to pop the button on your pants is not healthy.

Try to eat until you feel comfortable and not full. Let your stomach register fullness (this can take 25-40 minutes to feed back to the brain).

This will help you control your portion sizes.

10. You included protein in your meals

YES/NO

This story and more in this weekend’s Sunday Telegraph.

Protein is important for building hair, skin and nails, however more importantly like fat, it helps to fill you up.

Include meat, chicken, fish, egg, cheese, nuts, milk, yoghurt or legumes to complete your meal.

YOUR SCORES

If you scored lower than 3, you really need to stop flying by the seat of your pants. Start making fresh meals

Anything 4-6 isn’t a bad effeort. Stock healthy ingredients at home so you don’t fall into the takeaway trap

Scored 7? You care about the body you’re living in. Keep up the great work

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Originally published as Quiz: How healthy was yesterday?