1. Eat 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day
1 serving of fruit is 1 medium piece of fruit, ½ c. small pieces of fruit, or ¾ c. larger pieces of fruit; 1 serving of veggies is ½ c. cooked veggies or 1 c. raw veggies
Try to get a variety of colors every day
Have fruit with breakfast and snacks and have veggies with lunch and dinner
2. Eat whole grains most of the time
Look for the word “whole” in the first ingredient on the food label in cereals and breads
Choose whole wheat pasta and brown rice instead of white
3. Eat breakfast every day
A healthy breakfast includes a whole grain, low fat dairy, and fruit
Examples: oatmeal made with skim milk and raisins with a dash of vanilla extract and cinnamon; Cheerios with skim milk and a banana; Wheat English muffin with 1 egg, low fat cheese, and fruit
Look for cereals with at least 3 g fiber, no more than 3 g fat and less than 10 g sugars per serving
4. Bring your lunch to work or eat lunch at home
You will save lots of calories by preparing your lunch yourself-prepare the night before
Examples: peanut butter, turkey, roast beef, lean ham, or tuna (made with low fat mayo) sandwich on wheat bread with baby carrots and baked chips; Low fat frozen entrée with a light yogurt and side salad with low fat dressing; leftovers from dinner the night before (portion your lunch out when you are putting up the food in the evening)
5. Limit eating out to 1-2 times a week
Restaurants add lots of unhealthy fat and calories to your meals, even if you are making the healthiest choice on the menu
Portion control is more difficult if you eat out
6. Get small amounts of healthy fats instead of large amounts of unhealthy fats
Healthy fats are unsaturated fats and omega 3 fats, which are found in foods like olive oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, salmon, tuna, peanut butter, canola oil-choose these, but in moderation to control calories
Unhealthy fats are saturated and trans fats, which are found in foods like cheese, meats (especially sausage, ribs, ribeye, prime rib, poultry skin, 80% lean ground beef) ice cream, butter, margarine, lard, fried foods, chips, donuts, restaurant foods-limit these, choose low fat versions
7. Eat fish a couple of times a week
Fish like salmon and tuna have nutrients, especially omega 3 fatty acids, that help you keep a healthy heart
8. Eat 1-2 healthy snacks a day
This will help you get your daily fruit and calcium in
Examples: fruit and a low fat dairy (i.e. light yogurt, string cheese, low fat cottage cheese, or skim milk); fruit and a small handful of nuts; granola bar
9. Exercise most days of the week
Get in 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5-6 days a week
Weight training, to include your full body, 2 times a week will enhance your results
10. Get plenty of sleep
6 hours at a minimum, with 7-8 hours being ideal
The more you exercise, the more sleep you need to recover well
-Cassie Dimmick, MS, RD, LD, CSSD Registered and Licensed Dietitian Board Certified in Sports Nutrition Achieving Your Best, LLC http://www.achievingyourbest.net/
