Creating Healthier Eating Habits

Spring is a season of renewal, growth, and new beginnings. As the weather starts to warm up and flowers bloom, it's also the perfect time to start fresh and make positive changes in your life for your health. One of the best places to start is with your eating habits. A healthy diet is essential for maintaining good health, preventing chronic diseases, and improving your overall well-being. In this article, we'll explore some simple but effective tips for creating healthier eating habits this spring.

Be Realistic

Set reasonable goals! Start with a small goal such as adding a serving of fruit, vegetables, or bottle of water each day. If you want to lose weight, try not to focus exclusively on the scale and whether it goes up or down. Focus instead on what you’re putting into your body, and how your food choices make your body feel.

Focus on What You Can Add

Adding a healthy food or food group to your diet, rather than trying to restrict an “unhealthy” food that you love, can be a delicious and enjoyable way to start making nutritional changes. A diet that advocates for eliminating an entire food group will not serve you well in the long run. If you want to cut down on a food that’s not helping your goals, consider making it an occasional treat or eating smaller portions instead of trying to remove it entirely.

Strive to Include All Food Groups

If you do not eat vegetables, for example, consider adding a bit of lettuce and a tomato slice to a sandwich. You can also chop veggies to add into an omelet or a bowl of noodle soup. If you want to eat more fruit, add some fresh or frozen berries to your oatmeal or cereal, or blend them into a smoothie. Bring a no-sugar-added fruit cup or unsweetened applesauce to work for a sweet afternoon snack.

Portion Consistency is Key

Even if you are not familiar with the recommended portion of a food, try to be consistent with your serving sizes. If you use a large spoon for serving, you may be eating very different amounts each time while thinking they’re the same!  Switch to a serving spoon that gives consistent portions – for example, a 4 oz ice cream scoop, gives a ½ cup portion each time. It may be worth it to buy pre-portioned items for a short time to help you get started and establish good portioning habits. You can also find plastic storage containers that come in ½ cup or 1 cup sizes, or that have separate smaller sections for each food item. These tools can help you to be more mindful and consistent in your food intake.

Don’t Skip Meals

While many people think skipping meals and cutting calories will help with weight-loss, it often backfires. If you cannot eat a meal, eat a healthy snack at that time instead. Keeping your body on a regular routine and keeping your food intake evenly divided during the day can help your body to process all foods more efficiently. It can also help your energy levels to eat smaller meals throughout the day rather than just at dinner time.

Pick a Goal You Can Start TODAY

If you prepare for weeks to start a new meal plan, you will likely not start at all. What can you do today to make a small change? Eliminate one bottle of soda? Add one bottle of water? Take a short daily walk? Eat a piece of fruit as an afternoon snack? One small step is all it takes to start your journey.

Don't Get Discouraged

Do not be discouraged if it takes a few tries to get going on achieving your goals. It may take some trial and error to see what works with your lifestyle, finances, daily routine, and family life – but you can do it!

Remember, these are helpful tips and not a replacement for a personal consultation with a registered dietician or nutritionist. If you have questions about healthy eating, losing weight, or any other dietary or nutritional concerns, reach out to Bassett’s team today.

Written by: Kelly Gardner, RDN, CSO, CDCES, Director of Nutrition Systems at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown.