Eat Right, YOUR Way, Every Day - Starting With These Tips!

That’s the slogan for this year’s Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics’ (AND) National Nutrition Month celebration – essentially, know what’s best for you. Know that there is an all-you-eat buffet of fad diets out there to choose from, none of which will fill you up and most of which do more harm than good. Know that it takes a little bit of experimenting, mindfulness and taste-testing to really know what kind of dietary habit fits your body and health needs!

Think about cars – some run at 20 miles per gallon while others are more efficiently near 40 (mpg), some require diesel and some premium gas, and the more wear we put them through the more TLC they need! The only thing that never changes is that they all need fuel to keep going.

No matter what type of fuel choices you make for your health, here are five basic tips to keep in mind:

1. Aim to eat a balance of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats to keep all bodily systems happy! Each nutrient plays a crucial role in every system – digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, etc. – and we don’t function well when any of them are missing. Any diet that severely reduces or eliminates one of the three is raising a red flag!

2. Eat fruits and vegetables every day – they should be part of each meal in some way! Simple as that.

3. Eat a variety of foods, vs. the same things for meals and snacks each day. This helps ensure that you get a variety of nutrients (vitamins and minerals), too!

4. Eat foods for what they have, not what’s been removed. Foods that are not as healthy for us are those that have to boast things like “sugar-free!”, “low-fat!”, etc.  Foods that are healthy for our bodies are those that naturally have nutrients, and haven’t had things removed or added (i.e. food in its most natural form). Eat more things from the ground, less from the factory’s conveyer belt.

5. Control your portions. It’s true that a healthy diet can still have a few indulgences, in moderation. That last part is what most people have trouble with, and it adds up quickly! Portion out each meal, snack and dessert and try to stick to one serving of foods. For basic serving size references, read the USDA’s tips here.

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Keep in mind that changes to our eating habits and patterns can take a few weeks to feel “normal”. Use this National Nutrition Month celebration to take a look at your diet and try out the tips outlined above!