Eating Healthier Without Changing Everything

By Sheila M. ClanCy MS, CheS

The foods we eat can help our bodies function better, give us more energy and keep our weight in check, or it can make us feel sluggish, add unwanted pounds and exacerbate conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. While “eating healthier” sounds scary, it is doable and doesn’t mean you have to ditch your favorite foods. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1) Don’t eat the exact same foods every day. If you don’t change things up a little bit there is a good chance you are missing a few vitamins or minerals. If you love having a sandwich for lunch, switch it up in a few different ways. Try a wrap instead of bread, try mustard instead of mayo, try adding sliced cucumbers, lettuce, tomato, arugula, or spinach and add some herbs or spices such as oregano, parsley or basil.

2) Try to have protein at every meal. Some of us are eating a carb heavy diet with lots of pasta, rice, bread and potatoes. This can contribute to insulin resistance and make you more susceptible to developing Type 2 Diabetes. Make those portions smaller and add protein to the meal. Some examples could be eggs at breakfast (or anytime!), tuna or peanut butter at lunch and lean meat such as chicken or fish at dinner. Even adding protein to a snack is a good idea such as peanut butter on an apple, Greek yogurt with fresh fruit in it, or carrot sticks dipped in hummus.

3) Add a side salad to your dinner and eat that first. You can buy a premade salad to start so it doesn’t seem like a giant undertaking. Or you can buy a mix of already cut up lettuce or spring mix and then you add in whatever you like. Instead of pouring the salad dressing all over it, dip your fork in the dressing and then into the salad. That way you get the taste of dressing without drowning the salad in it.

4) Add in more fiber. The American Heart Association recommends we eat 25-30 grams of fiber per day, but the average American eats about 15 grams per day. You can get more fiber in your diet by adding chia seeds, flax seeds, avocado, beans, fruits and vegetables to your day. Seeds can go into salad, yogurt or oatmeal and try adding fruit as a snack or put it into cereal or a smoothie. Vegetables are versatile and many can be eaten raw, cooked, hot or cold. While many of us have already made it clear which ones we like or don’t like, there are many different ways to prepare vegetables and it is worth another try to taste some different ones. Different cultures prepare foods differently so don’t be afraid to try something new.

5) Prepare most of your food yourself and back off on eating out. When you prepare your own food, you know exactly what is in it and you control your portion sizes. You can spend a little extra time on Sunday preparing a couple of meals and then pack them up, so they are ready for the week. You can bring your prepared food to work, or it will be ready for you to heat up when you get home.

6) Drink more water. We drink to keep our bodies hydrated. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but water helps control blood pressure, maintains kidney function, keeps your digestive system regular, protects joints and maintains body temperature. To add more water to your day, try drinking a glass before or after your morning coffee, drink a bottle on the way to work and keep a bottle on your desk. If you need a little flavor, try adding cut up lemons, limes or cucumbers to the water.

Putting food in your body is like putting gas in your car. We want to put in the fuel that we need for our bodies to run optimally. Eating healthier can start with adding in the vitamins and minerals that we need instead of focusing on taking things out of our diet. Variety is key to getting all the nutrients that you need, and it helps to keep things fresh and exciting. Consider it an adventure to try different foods and recipes and enjoy the process of eating healthier.