It’s easy to feel bombarded by the latest healthy eating trend, buzz worthy ingredient or new diet plan. But good nutrition is really about consistently choosing healthy foods and beverages. With healthy eating patterns, it’s possible to enjoy food and beverages that reflect your preferences, cultural traditions, and budget.
Eating healthier is possible and easier than you think!
The USDA replaced MyPyramid with MyPlate to make guidelines simple and easy to understand. Eating healthier is possible and easier than you think! No need for a fancy program that costs extra money. If you need accountability, ask a friend or family member to join you. Get your kids involved! It’s really something that the whole family can do and certainly benefit from. Another nice thing is that there is no need for special foods. Everyone can enjoy the same meal.
The MyPlate concept is a simple one. Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, one quarter of your plate protein, and one quarter of your plate grains (at least half of your grain should be whole grains). Making fruits and vegetables the focal point of every meal will help you meet your recommended amount each day—and you won’t have to do all the math of figuring out how to eat.
Every bite (and drink) counts!
Have you ever thought about that it you drink sweetened iced tea that you are adding nearly 100 calories per 8 ounces to your diet? Large drinks in many fast food restaurants are around 30 ounces. That’s well over 300 calories just for your drink. If your want to freshen your breath and eat 3 peppermint candies, that’s an extra 60 calories. Small amounts of calories can add up. A 16 ounce Caramel Frappuccino, which is a grande size, contains approximately 370 calories. Snack on that “healthy” bag of kettlecorn popcorn and before you know it, you’ve eaten the whole bag. That’s an additional 700 calories that you consumed and haven’t even had a meal! These extra calories alone add up to almost 1500 calories. For some, this already meets or exceeds their daily caloric requirements.
Small changes can lead to big results!
- Learn how much you need from each food group. Get a personalized MyPlate Plan that’s right for you. The plan is based on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. Go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website: www.myplate.gov for dietary guidelines.
- Take a look at your current eating routine. Pick one or two ways that you can switch to choices today that are rich in nutrition.
- Create a healthy eating routine to benefit your health now and in the future.
- Think about how your food choices come together over the course of your day or week.
- Eat different types of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy and fortified soy alternatives.
- Choose options for meals, beverages, and snacks that have limited added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
- Use a smaller plate! This helps reduce your portions without even realizing it.
- Get Myplate nutrition tips on Amazon Alexa devices.
- Build healthy eating habits one goal at a time. Download the Start Simple with MyPlate app.
It’s never to late to begin your journey to healthier eating
Remember, it’s a journey! Take your time if it feels overwhelming. Master one meal at a time. Start with small things. If you drink sweetened beverages, cut the amount in half. Set a time goal of when you want to have removed sugared drinks. Try one healthier snack or meal per day. Your taste buds will start to change and before you know it, those blueberries will be a wonderful sweet snack and you may not reach for the candy snacks when you want a sweet treat. Think about where those hidden calories may be sneaking in and take steps to eliminate those or at least reduce them. ALL calories count! Know where and what your calories are coming from.
Think of progress, not perfection!
If you don’t have a great day, get back on track the very next meal. Avoid waiting until Monday rolls around to start over. Grab a friend or get your whole family involved with making healthier food choices!
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Read more articles on healthy eating: 6 Tips on Packing Your Lunch During the Week, 11 Tips to Healthy Eating On the Run
