Quick Tips to Achieve Healthier Eating Habits
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This month is National Nutrition Month®, an annual campaign during the month of March created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to promote learning about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.
By making conscious choices and incorporating wholesome ingredients into your diet, you can fuel your body effectively while supporting your fitness goals. Our Richmond health coach, Gregory Anthony has pulled together a list of tips and resources to help you incorporate quick and easy ways to optimize your nutrition.
Prioritize Whole Foods: When it comes to nutrition, whole foods are your best bet. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. By centering your meals around these nutritious staples, you provide your body with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Aim to fill your plate with a colorful array of plant-based foods and lean proteins to ensure a well-rounded diet.
Flavor with Herbs and Spices: Instead of relying on salt to enhance the taste of your meals, experiment with herbs and spices. Not only do they add depth and complexity to dishes, but they also come with their own set of health benefits. From antioxidant-rich turmeric to metabolism-boosting cinnamon, the world of herbs and spices is vast and varied. Get creative in the kitchen and explore new flavor combinations to tantalize your taste buds.
Track Your Meals: One of the most effective ways to maintain a strong and healthy body composition is by tracking your diet. Whether you prefer using apps like MyFitnessPal or traditional written journals, keeping a record of your food intake allows you to monitor your calorie and nutrient intake more accurately. By keepting track of what you’re eating you may find you snack more than you realize or the reason for that afternoon slump is you didn’t get enough protein with your healthy salad. By staying mindful of what you eat, you can make informed choices that align with your goals.
Limit Carbohydrates: Limiting carbohydrates to around 100 grams per day or roughly 2-3 handfuls of cooked items can help manage weight and stabilize blood sugar levels.
Drink Water: Stay hydrated by drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water per day. If you are over 200 pounds stick with 90-100 ounces of water a day and if this is hard to achieve, you can work your way up to these goals.
Content by Alana Petyton & Gregory Anthony
Greg Anthony is a health coach at WellcomeMD’s clinic in Richmond, VA. Greg earned his bachelor’s and master’ degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University and received his certification in stress-management from the Mayo Clinic. His deep experience working with patients that are pre-diabetic, have preeclampsia, borderline high cholesterol and helping clients quit tobacco taught him the first step to any wellness plan is usually stress management.
