9 Healthy Eating Tips
Healthy eating is about strict
nutrition philosophies, not about staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of
the foods you love. It’s about feeling great, having more energy,
stabilizing your mood, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of
which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way
that works for you. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn
how to plan ahead to create and maintain a tasty, healthy diet.
Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success
To set yourself up for success,
think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps
rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and
with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.
- Simplify.
Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring
portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and
freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on
finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh
ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more
delicious.
- Start slow
and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make
your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything
at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan.
Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables)
to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when
cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add
more healthy choices to your diet.
- Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to
completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term
goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and
disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you
make counts.
Healthy
eating tip 2: Moderation is key
People often think of healthy eating
as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is
moderation. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all
need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to
sustain a healthy body.
- Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is
natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give
in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy
foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later
you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only
occasional indulgences.
- Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in
restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split
a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use
smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start
small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat,
fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil
or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread
should be the size of a CD case.
Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how
you eat
Healthy eating is about more than
the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food.
Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think
about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between
meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.
- Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and
emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model
healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads
to mindless overeating.
- Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to
rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel
the textures of our food. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
- Listen to your body. Ask
yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you
are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel
full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body
that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
- Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the
day. A healthy breakfast can
jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the
day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and
your metabolism going.
- Avoid eating at night.
Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast for 14-16 hours until
breakfast the next morning. Early studies suggest that this simple dietary
adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive
system a long break each day—may help to regulate weight. After-dinner
snacks tend to be high in fat and calories so are best avoided, anyway.
Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and
vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the
foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient dense,
which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and
vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful,
deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins,
minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so
eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day.
Some great choices include:
- Greens. Branch
out beyond bright and dark green lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli,
and Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options—all packed with calcium,
magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.
- Sweet vegetables. Naturally
sweet vegetables—such as corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams,
onions, and squash—add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your
cravings for other sweets.
- Fruit.
Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and
antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges
and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole
grains
Choose healthy carbohydrates and
fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to
being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and
antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain
cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend
to have a healthier heart.
A
quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs
Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans,
fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel
full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined
sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and
nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar
levels and energy.
Tips
for eating more healthy carbs
- Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa,
and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
Make sure you're really getting whole grains.
- Be aware that the words stone-ground,
multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran can be deceptive. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100%
whole wheat” at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the U.S., Canada,
and some other countries, check for the Whole Grain Stamps that
distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain.
- Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole
grains. If whole grains like brown rice
and whole wheat pasta don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you
normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole
grain to 100%.
Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals
that are not whole grain.
Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid
unhealthy fats
Good sources of healthy fat are
needed to nourish your brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and
nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are
particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your
mood, and help prevent dementia.
Add
to your healthy diet:
- Monounsaturated fats,
from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as
avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as
pumpkin, sesame).
- Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish
such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold
water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are
unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Reduce
or eliminate from your diet:
- Saturated fats, found
primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy
products.
- Trans fats,
found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies,
cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods
made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective
Protein gives us the energy to get
up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino
acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and
essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein in our
diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart
and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose
bodies are growing and changing daily.
Here
are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:
Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different
protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu, and soy products—will open
up new options for healthy mealtimes.
- Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and
lentils are good options.
- Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are
great choices.
- Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie
burgers for a change.
- Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
Downsize your portions of protein. Many people in the West eat too much protein. Try to move
away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of
protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans, or
nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of
hormones and antibiotics.
Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones
Calcium is one of the key nutrients
that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. It is an essential
building block for lifelong bone health in both men and women, as well as many
other important functions.
You and your bones will benefit from
eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body’s
calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and
K—nutrients that help calcium do its job.
Recommended calcium levels are 1000
mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium
supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.
Good
sources of calcium include:
- Dairy: Dairy
products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and
absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese.
- Vegetables and greens:
Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium.
Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce,
celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels
sprouts, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms.
- Beans:
For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney
beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans.
Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt
If you succeed in planning your diet
around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good
fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the
way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.
Sugar
Sugar causes energy ups and downs
and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount
of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you
may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large
amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and
vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners,
fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips:
- Avoid sugary drinks.
One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily
recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit
juice.
- Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to
satisfy your sweet tooth.
How
sugar is hidden on food labels
Check food labels carefully. Sugar
is often disguised using terms such as:
- cane sugar or maple syrup
- corn sweetener or corn syrup
- honey or molasses
- brown rice syrup
|
- crystallized or evaporated
cane juice
- fruit juice concentrates,
such as apple or pear
- maltodextrin (or dextrin)
- Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose,
Maltose, or Sucrose
|
Salt
Most of us consume too much salt in
our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other
health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the
equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.
- Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners
contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.
- Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with
sodium.
- Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
- Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.
- Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products.
- Try slowly reducing the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.
Thank you.
John
Cardinal
Copyright Healthy Weight Loss for
Life 2012
