Instead of making January miserable and February a disappointment, start eating healthy one step at a time this year.
Start with Fruits & Veggies. Plants have vitamins and minerals. Their worth is varied, but they all have it. Eat more and more- one step at a time.
Forget the Clock. Listen to what your stomach (not appetite) is saying. At the first sign of hunger,
eat. This can help you slow down, make better choices, and enjoy your food, which can all help you be more aware of the first signs of fullness as well.
Cook for Health. Bake, boil, steam, or grill, but limit frying, margarine, and butter. Use a little olive oil as needed (remember even good fats pack lots of calories). Save yourself time and eat raw plants.
Drink Water. High fructose corn syrup, sugar, and zero-calories sweeteners are all unhealthy and carbonation doesn't help. Some evidence shows zero calorie sweeteners still lead to weight gain. Juice is not much better either. Drink water all day and add in a couple of glasses of skim milk.
Switch Grains. Regardless of fads, scholarly evidence still recommends whole grains. I agree that supermarket white bread is crap, but brown rice, oats, quinoa, and other whole grains without extra additives are healthy. Switch out the white stuff and go for fiber, B vitamins, and minerals.
Cut Out "Kid Food." If it comes in fun packaging or is an unnatural shape or color, this is a red flag that it's highly processed. Skip the middle of the grocery store (and much of the freezer section) altogether.
Redefine Fast Food. Fast food can be anything that fits in a Tupperware. Drive-through burgers and TV dinners may be fast, but they aren't food.
Eat Lean Animal Products. Fish, poultry, skim milk, and fat-free yogurt are still the best choices. Bologna and whole milk are not.
Keep it Proportionate. Don't feel like you have to eat every food group in every meal, but try to make you day proportionately similar to MyPlate. Go Nuts. Nuts have numerous health benefits and are minimally processed healthy snacks that rarely go bad. The only downside is they pack lots of calories, so stick to 1 oz. servings.
Eat Your Colors. Fruits and veggies have various benefits depending on the type and color. For more vitamins, mineral, and antioxidants, eat one of each: red, orange/ yellow, green, blue, and white. Treat Yourself. Don't waste your time on mediocre treats, but get the one treat you are dying for every now and then and eat it like there's nothing else in the world.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/multimedia/healthy-meals/sls-20076445?s=3
