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Wow my first blog post. I was kind of nervous about starting one – nervous about what to write – what to say. I’ve never been much of a writer but I have so much I want to share and so many recipes that I figured why not. When I think about where I want to start – what to write my first post on – I think about nutrition, because obviously I’m a registered dietitian and that’s all we think about 😛 But it’s also about the number one question I hear from clients: “I want to eat healthy, but where do I start?” It seems that over the years, we’ve complicated nutrition so much. We no longer know how to eat well. Especially with all those fad diets selling you the latest diet, or showing you quick weight loss results, which then sabotages your metabolism, and leads to more weight issues. Then there are all these health claims that keep cycling in and out. One day coffee is bad, another day coffee is good. I know nutrition is always changing; there’s always studies going on. It’s confusing, I get it, but when you break it down it always boils down to the same thing – EAT REAL FOOD.
What is it about nutrition that we make so complicated? You look at the other mammals in the world and they don’t struggle with knowing what to eat. They don’t worry about their weight – they eat to live. But we seem to live to eat. We’ve over complicated nutrition so much that now the majority of chronic diseases in our country (diabetes, heart disease, stroke etc) have stemmed from a poor diet. I’ve created 5 simple steps to start moving to a healthy lifestyle. Of course for some it might take a lot more work and education, but that’s when you can contact me 🙂
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Step 1: Remove the processed junk
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Not all processed foods are bad – like bread, canned beans, yogurt, frozen fruits and vegetables, prepackaged to go salads, prepackaged hummus, guacamole, etc. obviously all have to be processed. The processed junk I’m talking about is soda, chips, TV dinners, canned soups (loaded with sodium), chicken nuggets, many breakfast cereals, cookies etc. Food companies know exactly how much sugar, fat, and salt to put in their foods to get us hooked and to get us going back for a second bite. Have you ever tried to eat just one chip? Probably not possible. Companies know how to get you hooked, and if you make this lifestyle a habit, it’ll take a hold of your health. Create a positive habit by removing these processed junk foods.
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Step 2: Practice Mindful Eating
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How many times have you opened a bag of chips while watching TV, and next thing you know the bag is empty? You read the food label and you realize you just had 5 servings in that one sitting. Do you know how many calories you just consumed? Being mindful of what you’re eating is being aware and being in the moment. Focusing on your food, your portion size, how it tastes, reflecting on your satiety etc. are all part of mindful eating. A few steps for mindful eating:
- Pick a smaller plate
- Serve out your portions
- Sit Down
- Put your utensils down in between bites
- Drink water in between bites
- Resign from the Clean Plate Club. Tell yourself it’s better to go to Waste then the Waist
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Step 3: Listen to your body
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This piggy backs on mindful eating. If you get the urge to eat something ask yourself – are you hungry enough to eat an apple slice or celery stick? If no, then maybe you’re not actually hungry. If you are, then certainly eat something. We often want to eat when we’re bored, anxious, or even thirsty! Ask yourself if you are hungry, drink a glass of water, then ask yourself again.
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Step 4: Practice the 90% 10% Rule
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I used to say eat in moderation, but moderation is such a misleading word. For one person moderation might be a soda a day (instead of 3). For someone else, moderation may be a piece of cake at social gatherings. There’s nothing wrong with having a piece of cake but try to keep 90% of your diet healthy foods and less than 10% your indulgence foods. If you completely deprive yourself of sweet or salty foods, you’ll be more likely to binge, which will have negative effects on your weight and health. I feel the same way about “Cheat Days.” Why go all out after all of your hard work for that week by having a cheat day, which could potentially do more harm to your weight. Instead go for your craving when it hits but remember your 90%/10% rule. You can also substitute and make healthy versions of your cravings. For example, I love salty foods but I can’t eat chips all the time. I love popcorn, so I get my salty fix by eating homemade popcorn with garlic salt (no butter). If you love ice cream, try “nice cream” (frozen bananas with your toppings). You get the idea?
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Step 5: Eat real food
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Lastly, eat real food. Eat foods that have been minimally processed. Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, beans, and whole grains. I’m a huge proponent of a plant based whole food diet, where you eat primarily plant based (heavy on fruits and vegetables and modest amount of lean meats and fish). Choosing a plant based diet can help ward off chronic diseases, control your weight, improve mood, and best yet – keep you regular 😉
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Michael Pollan says it the best: “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”
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