Each year eating healthy tops the list of New Year’s Resolutions.
But how does one actually eat healthier? I like to think that I’m a healthy eater, but I tend to get bogged down by all the conflicting information.
If your goals are to clean up your eating habits and get to a healthy weight, the nutritionists at MARTIN’S are there to help with a bunch of great healthy eating tips to get you started.
Here are 14 tips for 2014:
1. Set a S.M.A.R.T goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely). Yeah, it’d be great if we could all instantly drop 20lbs, gain a 6 pack and have tons of energy overnight, but unrealistic expectations hurt more than help, and your disappointment can cause you to give up on your goals.
2. Don’t get bogged down by the scale. Focus on behaviors and not numbers. Once you’ve decided on a weight goal and a reasonable amount of time in which you want to lose the weight, any other goals you set should be goals over which you have direct control. For example, set mini goals of how many servings of fruit you eat each day or how many minutes you exercise.
3. Get creative with food tracking. For some people keeping a food journal can be tedious (and who wants to carry around a food journal?). Instead of writing down what you eat, snap a quick photo of it on your phone (besides, that’s what instagram was made for, right?). Pictures are a great visual representation of what you have had to eat or drink and can help hold you accountable during the day.
4. Plan your meals. Set aside time to plan your meals for the week prior to grocery shopping. Make half of your plate non-starchy vegetables, a quarter protein and quarter starch. If you have chicken breast as the protein, pair it with a non-starchy vegetable like green beans and a whole grain, like brown rice. Pssst… MARTIN’S has great recipes to help you plan meals right on their website!
5. Breakfast gives you the energy you need to start your day off right. Try to incorporate at least three different food groups at breakfast every day, like whole grains, fruit, and low-fat dairy. A yogurt parfait is a great example that contains all three!
6. Keep your metabolism fired up by snacking between meals. Getting a combination of carbohydrates and protein will help keep you full longer and stabilize blood sugars. Some good choices include an apple with peanut butter, reduced fat cheese and whole grain crackers, hummus and carrots, or dried fruit and almonds.
7. Double your veggies. “Veg out” by doubling the volume of non-starchy vegetables you eat at every lunch and dinner.
8. Actually pass on the salt. Too much sodium in the diet has been linked to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease. Limit your daily intake of sodium to less than 2,300 mg and instead increase your intake of herbs and spices to boost the flavor of your plate. Get creative with garlic powder, cumin, ginger, paprika and more.
9. Make the TV room a no food zone. Yes, as it turns out that mindless snacking can really add up in pounds. If you really want to step it up, for every hour of television you watch, use the commercial time to get up and continuously move or exercise with hand weights. For an hour long television show, you’ll be moving about 17 minutes (that’s a lot of commercial time)!
10. Stay hydrated. Even mild dehydration can leave you tired and lacking energy for daily tasks. Limit your liquid calories like soda, fruit drinks, iced teas, coffee drinks, etc. Try carrying a reusable water bottle with you wherever you go and drink from it throughout the day. I always find I drink more when I use a straw.
11. Start Packing. Plan ahead and pack a healthy lunch for work so that you are in control of your choices. Be sure to include a lean protein, healthy fat, and whole grains, in addition to your fruits and vegetables.
12. Scope out your options. When your planing on eating out, go online ahead of time to look at nutrition information to determine which meal option would be the healthiest. (Save some dough when your kids eat free)
13. Masticate. Chew, munch, crunch, nom nom nom… Eat slowly, enjoy the taste and textures, and pay attention to how you feel. Use hunger and fullness cues to recognize when to eat and when you’ve had enough. Our brains need at least 20 minutes to get the message that our stomach is full.
14. Get your rest! This is a good one since I always find myself reaching for a snack when what I really want is a nap. The average American needs between 7-9 hours of sleep per night (and probably isn’t getting it). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, insufficient sleep can be associated with a number of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression.
If you’re trying to make an effort to eat healthy this year, MARTIN’S has more tips on living healthier lifestyles at their website. You can find healthy snacking ideas, kids health, eating healthy on a budget and a lot more.
MARTIN’S Food Markets is a sponsor of Richmondmom.com
