I get asked questions about nutrition pretty much on a daily basis, with one of the most common being, “Where do I start?” Most of us eat every single day, yet somehow it is so easy to get lost when trying to make healthy choices.
Believe it or not, nutrition is not all about dieting or weight loss tricks. It’s about making thoughtful choices and eating mostly healthy foods. Knowing what foods are healthy tends to be where most of us fall short. How many of you feel overwhelmed when you walk into a grocery store? The amount of choices we are faced with on a daily basis is enough to exhaust anyone, not to mention the amount of food advertising we are bombarded with. It’s no wonder obesity is such a problem in the U.S. (in fact, more than two-thirds, or 68.8%, of adults are overweight or obese, and 3 out of 4 men >20 years old are overweight or obese).
Instead of going through different foods and telling you what you should and shouldn’t eat (because that never works for anyone!), I’ve put together a list of tips for you to use as a healthy-eating guide. Let’s face it, we don’t always have access to fresh fruit and vegetables, or sometimes we just don’t want them! These tips are meant to help you form better habits when it comes to eating because in my opinion, how you eat is really two-thirds, if not more, of the healthy eating battle.
10 WAYS TO A HEALTHIER YOU
- Avoid or reduce alcohol intake – Ugh! I get it. This one’s hard, and no, you don’t have to stop drinking. Just know that alcohol contains a fair amount of calories (100-200cals/serving), and when you add sodas or sugary mixes to your liquor, one or two drinks can easily pack more calories than your lunch or dinner. In addition, overdoing it can lead to awful hangovers, which tend to induce cravings for unhealthy foods with fried, greasy, high calorie ingredients.
- Drink lots of water – Often we confuse dehydration with hunger (I do it too), so make sure you are drinking plenty of H2O. When you think you might be hungry, try drinking water and waiting 20 minutes before grabbing that snack you’ve been eyeing. Trust me, it works. Even better, reduce your calorie consumption by replacing sugary drinks like soda, juices or sports drinks with water. You’ll sleep better too, and then make better food choices the next day.
- Eat breakfast – even if you’re not hungry in the morning, make a point to eat something at least within an hour and a half of waking. People who eat more earlier in the day tend to eat less at night, lose weight, and are healthier overall. Eating breakfast is a sure way to jumpstart your metabolism–otherwise your body goes into starvation mode and clings on to everything you eat, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight.
- Fill up on fiber – most Americans don’t eat enough fiber (women need at least 25g/day and men 38g/day). Fiber, which comes from plant foods, has true long-term and short-term benefits on health, including helping you keep a slim waistline. Fiber is filling and slows down digestion so you won’t be hungry just an hour after eating. Avoid chronic diseases and dangerous, unhealthy spikes in your blood sugar by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Choose at least two at every meal.
- Avoid added sugars (including ‘natural sugars’ like honey, agave, maple syrup, coconut sugar, dates, dried fruits, etc) – sugar is sugar, and adding sugar to your meals and snacks only adds calories. Beware of hidden sugars in pre-packaged foods and reduce how much sugar you add yourself. The daily recommended limit is 6-9 teaspoons/day for women and men respectively (or 24-36g sugar).
- Load your plate with veggies first, especially leafy green ones – This is an easy way to not only get a vast and diverse amount of nutrients, but it is also a great way to fill up on a large quantity of food without consuming too many calories. The more space your veggies take up, the less room you have for other foods that may not be as healthy.
- Drink herbal or decaf tea after meals, especially dinner – Some herbal teas, especially those with ginger, may help with digestion and ease any stomach upset caused by your meal. In addition, the hot tea will fill you up even more, leaving little room for dessert. Choose herbal teas with calming and soothing properties after dinner that will also help you wind down for bed. A relaxing and restful night’s sleep will help you continue to make good food decisions the next day.
- Cut down on portion sizes – Especially if you aren’t exercising, you will need to decrease your food intake (and liquids) if you want to lose weight. Whether you graze all day or only eat 2-3 big meals, try to find a way to either snack a little less or take a few less bites at each meal.
- Replace meat with other protein rich foods such as beans, lentils, or soy foods at least once a day, if you aren’t already a vegetarian – Following this rule will help decrease your saturated fat intake, increase fiber intake, and is likely to also decrease your calorie intake. All too often we eat more than the recommended serving size of ~4oz of meat at a meal (in addition to all the other foods on our plate). Meats are not only calorie dense, but also full of fat and protein that is difficult to digest, making you feel sluggish–a feeling that often influences your decision to snack on sugary items later.
- Don’t skip meals – Sorry, but you can’t ‘save your calories’ for a big night out or some gluttonous future meal. Your body is a constant fuel burning machine, and we must feed it accordingly. Skipping meals is a sure way to overeat at your next, and since our bodies can only use a limited amount of energy at a time, you’ll likely just be storing the excess calories as fat. The same goes for a busy or unpredictable day that keeps you from eating lunch. Be prepared by keeping healthy snacks on you, like in your desk, car, and gym bag. (Try unsalted nuts, apples, bananas, chia bars, or protein bars). This way you can provide your body with the minimum necessary fuel to avoid late night bingeing or grabbing some chips and candy for an afternoon pick me up.
