Eating healthy is easier said than done, especially when there are tasty snacks seemingly calling your name. Here are a few nutrition hacks to help you stay on track.
- Make it colorful. You don’t have to count calories or log every food you eat to ensure you’re eating a nutritious diet. Just make sure your plate is colorful. Over the course of the day, you should eat the rainbow of colors for fruits and vegetables: Red, blue/purple, orange, yellow, green, white.
- Get basic. Sure, it’s fun to celebrate holidays by indulging in rich foods, but these events can sabotage your daily efforts. Blaze a new trail and hold a healthy holiday event. Focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other foods low in fat and sugar. Once the meal is done, go on a group walk or hike.
- Track it. Keep a diary of what you eat and how those foods make you feel. Take note of what foods make you feel full and which ones don’t. As you keep track of what you’re eating, you’ll be able to better plan your food options and give your body the nutrition it needs.
- Make a plan. Planning=success. Think about it: If you don’t plan today for what you’ll eat tomorrow, you’ll risk not being prepared with healthy options, so you might resort to foods that are not nutritious.
- Prep. Have groceries that let you quickly throw together a quick meal. In addition, choose a day of the week to make several meals at once, and then stock your freezer with the extras. You’ll always have a meal ready, which will help you make more nutritious choices.
- Make it a habit. It takes 21 days to create a new habit, so don’t give up if you struggle at first. In fact, it may take longer to counter years and decades of unhealthy eating. It’s also difficult in the midst of busy work and family life to make your health a priority. The more often you choose foods that are nutritious and good for you, the better you’ll feel, and the more likely you’ll be to make good choices in the future.
These nutrition hacks will help you kickstart your health. Don’t worry if you get off track. Just start it up again. Your body will thank you.
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This post was originally published in March 2017; updated December 2023.