Embarking on a journey to improve nutrition isn’t just about eating less or cutting out your favorite snacks; it’s about enriching your life with a variety of foods that nourish your body. Roughly half of all American adults have 1 or more preventable chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and poor bone health), many of which are related to poor-quality eating patterns and physical inactivity. As a health coach and experienced yoga teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how small, consistent changes can lead to significant improvements in health and well-being. Let’s dive into how you can enhance your nutrition by making informed choices and using food to fuel your body.
Understanding the Basics
Start with Variety
One of the most fundamental pieces of advice I can offer is to incorporate foods from all five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Each group provides unique nutrients that are important for your health. I remember when I first started eating healthy by adding more fruits and vegetables to my diet along with proper carbohydrates, I felt more energized and satisfied throughout the day.
Embrace Planning and Preparation
Weekly Meal Planning
Planning your meals for the week can seem daunting at first, but it’s a game-changer for eating well and saving time. When I first started to focus on my nutrition, I would spend a bit of time each week mapping out my meals, ensuring I included a variety of foods from the five food groups. This practice helps prevent boredom and encourages trying new things, which is essential for a sustainable healthy diet.
Meal Prep Magic
Meal prep is your best friend when it comes to making healthy eating convenient. Preparing lunches on the weekend or chopping vegetables in advance can save a significant amount of time during the week. For example, cooking extra chicken breasts to use in wraps or salads later on is a simple way to ensure you have healthy options ready to go. I also like to make extra turkey burgers and freeze them. If I don’t have something on hand, I can defrost one quickly in the microwave or overnight in the refrigerator. I can eat them as a burger or chop them up and add some fresh salsa to make a taco or over canned black beans.
Shopping Smart: Navigating the Grocery Store
The Perimeter Strategy
Eating healthy starts by what you bring home from the store. When grocery shopping, I recommend sticking to the perimeter of the store as much as possible. This is where you’ll find fresh produce, meats, and dairy products. However, don’t shy away from the inner aisles entirely; they’re where you’ll find essential items like frozen vegetables (opt for those without added sauces or seasonings), no salt added canned vegetables or beans, canned fruit in 100% fruit juice without added sugars, and whole grains.
Decoding Food Labels
Understanding food labels is crucial for making healthier choices. Start by checking the serving size and compare it with how much you’re actually eating. The serving size reflects the amount that people typically eat or drink NOT the recommendation of how much you should eat or drink. If you eat 2 servings, you need to double all of the calories and nutrients shown on the label.
The general guideline is 2,000 calories per day, but your needs may be higher or lower. The calorie intake will also vary depending on your sex, age, and physical activity level.
Percentage Daily Value
Also, use the % Daily Value (%DV) to identify foods with higher amounts of beneficial nutrients (like fiber, potassium, iron and vitamin D) and lower in less desirable ones (like saturated fat, trans fat, added sugars and sodium). In general 5%DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low and 20% or more of a nutrient per serving is high.
Dietary Fiber
The daily value recommendation for dietary fiber is 28g which is 100% DV. It is recommended to at least have this amount in your diet on most days. Fiber lowers blood glucose and cholesterol levels, plus it reduces your calorie intake by helping you feel fuller for longer.
Trans Fat & Saturated Fat
Trans fat is associated with increased level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Saturated fat should be less than 10% of your daily intake of calories (for example: for 2,000 calorie diet=20 grams of saturated fat a day max) for ages 2 and older.
Added Sugar
When consuming added sugar in your diet, you are consuming empty calories. You make it hard to get the proper nutrients without also adding calories that don’t create value to your body and health. The recommendation for added sugar from the dietary guidelines is less than 10% of calories from added sugars and no added sugar for children ages 2 and under.
Added sugars include sugars that are added during the processing of foods, foods packaged as sweeteners, sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit and vegetable juices. Also, added sugars are in sugary drinks, cookies, cakes, ice cream, donuts, candy, granola bars, yogurt, and breakfast cereals.
Sodium
Sodium for anyone age 14 and older should be limited to no more than 2,300mg/day and younger children should consume less. Most of your sodium intake doesn’t come from the saltshaker! It mostly comes from processed and prepared foods like ready to go meals and restaurant meals. Increased sodium intake can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.
Other Nutrients
Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron and Potassium are all consumed lower than the recommended intake. These nutrients can reduce the risk of developing anemia, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure.
The Power of Small Changes
Adding Flavor Without the Extras
Instead of relying on salt or butter for flavor, get creative with herbs, spices, and non-salt seasonings. Not only will your meals taste great, but you’ll also reduce your intake of sodium and unhealthy fats, which is key for preventing chronic diseases.
The Impact of Eating Patterns
Interestingly, dietary habits, such as consuming most of your calories late in the day or relying heavily on snacks, can affect your health. Things like added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats, which need to be consumed in moderation, make up one-quarter to one-third of food components eaten after 8 pm. Eating healthy, small meals and snacks throughout your day will keep you fuller and your blood sugar level from dropping. When your blood sugar drops is usually when you want that quick boost of energy from your food and reach for unhealthy food choices. Snacks alone make up as much as 35% of total added sugars consumed by children.
Drinks Count
Being healthy isn’t only about eating healthy, but also drinking healthy. Don’t forget to take into account what you are drinking throughout the day. There are many added sugars in soda, sweetened coffee, tea, fruit drinks that aren’t 100% juice, energy drinks, and flavored milk.
Alcohol intake should be 1 drink or less a day for women and 2 drinks or less a day for men. It’s not just what is in the alcohol but also what you mix with it like fruit juice or premade mixes that contribute to sugar, sodium and calorie intake.
Home Cooked Meals
According to the FDA, 1/3 of calories Americans eat and drink are from foods prepared away from home. Cook meals at home so you know what’s going in them! This is a big way to reduce your sodium intake too.
When you do go out to eat avoid foods on the menu with words like creamy, fried, breaded, battered, or buttered which are higher in calories. Choose items with baked, roasted, steamed, grilled, or broiled instead.
Use Healthier Fats
Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats (healthier fats). We do need fat in our diet. Use oils like olive, canola, peanut, sunflower, safflower, corn soybean, and vegetable oils instead of stick margarine or butter. Think liquid instead of solid. Instead of consuming snacks with saturated fat like whole or 2% dairy products like yogurt and cheese, swap them for nuts, seeds, and avocados. Consuming the proper amount of unsaturated fats can help to reduce your LDL cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
Final Thoughts
Embarking on a nutrition improvement journey doesn’t mean you have to make drastic changes overnight. It’s about making small, manageable adjustments that align with your lifestyle and preferences. By incorporating a variety of foods from the five food groups, planning and preparing your meals, shopping wisely, and being mindful of your eating patterns, you’ll be on your way to a healthier and happier you.
Remember, this journey is unique to you, and what works for someone else may not work for you. It’s all about finding balance and enjoying the process of nurturing your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive. Cheers to eating healthy!
Much love & health,
Carrie
Resources:
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. MyPlate. Available at https://www.myplate.gov/.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Nutrition Facts Label. Available at https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/nutrition-facts-label.