Friday, December 29, 2017
My New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier. What are some tips to help me be successful?
- Fill up on fruits and vegetable because they contain dietary fiber which can give the feeling of fullness. Also fruits and vegetables are naturally lower in calories.
- Try and fill half your plate with vegetables such as spinach, salad, broccoli, zucchini and squash
- Choose a variety of different fruits and vegetables
- Avoid canned vegetable when possible because they tend to be higher in sodium - Smart snacking will be a key part in being successful. Many times we tend to pick out items that are convent which tend to be items that are filled will calories and sodium.
- Snack on fresh fruits or vegetables
- Make your own trail mix with reduced sugar dried fruit, raw nuts (almonds, peanuts cashews), and chocolate chips
- Try low fat cottage cheese and fresh fruit
- If purchasing pre-packaged snacks, look for items that have less than 140ml of sodium and have 100calories or less per serving. - Choose leaner meats. This will help reduce intake of the "unhealthy" fats.
- Try chicken breast without the skin, ground turkey, and fish such as salmon or trout
- Bake, roast, or gill your meat
- Try meatless meals and use eggs or tofu for your protein option - Decrease intake of sugary beverage and increase water consumption. A significant percentage of daily caloric intake comes from consuming sugary beverages alone. Water plays a key role in body maintenance by helping give the feeling of fullness, aiding in digestion, helping regulate bowel movements and most importantly keeps you hydrated.
- Meal prepping can also be great way to ensure you are staying on track. You can prep meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as snacks. The key is to add a variety of different items so you won’t get “burnt out” and become tempted to eat fast food.
- Lastly set realistic goals. Goals should be somewhat challenging but also attainable. By setting goals you can monitor you progress and assess what areas you can improve on.
For example:
- Set a goal to meal prep lunches for the week every Sunday evening. Once you have completed week two and feel you have accomplished that goal, set a new goal to start meal prepping snacks or breakfast for the next two weeks.
- If you are someone who tends to eat out 2-3times per week. Set a goal to only eat out 1 time per week. Just remember to choose more vegetables, leaner meats and avoid fried foods.
Good luck and Happy New Year! Aisa Trice MS,RD/LD