The Basics of Eating Healthy
How do you start Eating Healthier?
When you change the foods you are eating, you are also changing your eating habits. When eating healthy it is important to think of small realistic changes to make and grow from there. When you are ready to changing entire meals there are 4 questions you need to consider:
What is your specific goal that you want to achieve by changing your diet?
How to plan your meal after you set your goal?
How do you set yourself up for success for the week?
How can you make sure you get the most nutritious meals without being a Registered Dietician?
Answering these 4 questions will help you change your eating habits. They will also set you up for success so you do not yo-yo diet. Also, a better way to think of a diet is to think of it more as a lifestyle change. Just focus on being healthier to remove the negative connotation associated with the word “diet.”
1. What is your specific goal?
Just like anything you set out to do, you need a goal. You need to make it specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For eating healthy there are several reasons that are inter-relatable: decrease weight, decrease insulin resistance, decrease hypertension, decrease salt intake, increase weight, or maintain weight but improve body composition. Since there are so many things that change for the better when you start eating healthier, you need something specific and measurable to keep you on task. An example of one goal, that is not directly calorie related, might be to remove french fries from your diet and replace it with something healthier. This is a specific, measurable, and attainable goal. You can make it time based if you add to your goal and say, “I am going to stop having french fries in my diet in four months.” This gives you a very achievable goal in a realistic time frame and sets you up for the second question you need to answer. Do not worry, this does not mean you will NEVER have french fries again, but you will have them only when you are out with friends or other special times.
To understand what is a realistic, or attainable goal, the rule of thumb for weight loss and weight gain that is successful over time is 1 to 2 pounds per week. If you are trying to follow one of the fad diets out there, they will make a claim of “4 to 8 pounds of weight loss in two weeks” or whatever unrealistic goal they claim. Unfortunately, this is all a trick. The majority of the weight lost in 2 weeks above 1 to 2 pounds is usually water weight and glycogen stores being lost. Glycogen is the energy your muscles store for movement. Most of the people that do the yo-yoing diets typically gain most of the weight back. If you don’t believe it, then google most of the past “Biggest Losers.” Slow and steady always wins the race.
2. How to plan a meal
In the first part, you created a goal to eliminate french fries from your diet to work towards something with more nutritional value and reduce calories. After you have been able to get rid of one frood from your diet and replace it with something healthier, it is time to start changing one entire meal. You can use the USDA’s Myplate.org website to look up some healthy recipes. To make a meal healthy, you want a grain, vegetable/fruit, and protein. Also, you want to mix things up for variety. It is important that you find something that sounds appetizing to you and is at your cooking skill level to create. When I started making meals, I was terrible. As I tried some recipes on the website, I was able to get better. It just takes some time.
3. How to prepare for the week
For me, this was the hardest, most time consuming part of the process. I had very specific Macro calorie goals for my wife and myself, 55% Carbs, 25% Fat, and 20% Protein. My only food allergy is eggplant and my wife couldn’t eat dairy because our son is allergic and she is still feeding him. It took about a week of research and a lot of math to get us to her 1600 calorie goal and my 3200 calorie goal; while getting all of the nutrients we needed into our diets. But I was able to get us a balanced diet based on our goals and restrictions. I have made this template part of my In-home training routine. With the planning set, it was time to execute the plan.
Just like anything you set out to do, the commitment and planning is the hardest part. It takes a lot of time and energy to get on track. My big goal is going to be keeping up with this routine when we are not in quarantine. Right now, I am playing with food shopping on Saturday so I can spend most of my time on Sunday cooking for the week. The first week I cooked, I made a note of what would do well frozen and what needed the freshest ingredients to plan in what order I made my meals. I am finding that it takes most of the day on Sunday to make about 4 dishes for the week. With two of us eating, each dish I make is good for 2-4 days, depending on the serving sizes. I save 2 dishes that I can make quickly for mid-week cooking. During my normal work week, I am home by 2 pm which gives me some time to cook.
4. How to get the most nutritious meal without being a Registered Dietician
This is actually pretty simple, as long as you do not have a serious issue that requires the aid of a Registered Dietician. If you are already following your Macros and are eating nutrient dense foods, then the only other thing you have to do is make sure you have different colors on your plate. The rule makes it so that you are not eating all orange fruits and vegetables. By eating an array of different fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, and meat, then you will ensure that you get all of the nutrients your body needs. It is never a bad idea to take a multivitamin supplement, just in case. I am a big supporter of not needing vitamins, but if you are losing weight or are unsure if you are getting a balanced diet, then it is a good idea to take a vitamin every other day. This will guarantee that you are getting all of your major nutrients.
If you are ever unsure if what you are doing is good, then definitely talk to a Registered Dietitian.
Conclusion
To get to the goal you are looking to achieve, there is no shortcut. The best way to achieve your goal is to set a realistic goal and make a plan. Follow your plan and you will find success.