If eating healthier is one of your top new year priorities, that’s great. But “I’m going to eat healthier this year” is one of those well intentioned, but too-hard-to-define goals that isn’t nearly as easy done as said. (That’s one reason it’s so damn hard to keep resolutions.) So if the big idea is healthier eating, you’ll have better success if you break it down in to bite-sized mini-goals like these healthy eating tips we’ve gathered from registered dietitians.
The one-little-thing-at-a-time approach can be used for any number of new year’s resolutions—or anytime resolutions—you make. The truth is, when you set one big giant goal, it can be hard to know where to start and easy to lose your momentum. But if you set smaller goals to reach along the way, you’re making progress and meeting mini-milestones as you go. And we all know little feels quite as good as checking something off your to-do list.
Want to get fit? Start with a weekly fitness plan to put you on the right track and give you specific workouts to crush at the gym (no more wandering aimlessly from machine to machine). Determined to actually get eight hours of sleep a night? Start by tackling the surprising sleep mistake that’s making you so darn tired all the time. And as for that healthy eating goal? Tricks like eating veggies with breakfast and snacking on two pieces of fruit everyday are super simple ways to upgrade the eating habits you already have. These tips are so easy to follow, you’ll have no problem getting your new habits to stick.
Read on for some of the smartest, easiest ways to make every day healthier—and tastier, too. Here are nine healthy eating tips registered dietitians swear by.
1. Reduce your sugar intake, little by little.
“Cutting back on sugar is a gradual process and doesn’t happen overnight, but once you start to cut back on it, you’ll realize you don’t need as much of it as you once thought. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. One easy thing I like to do to cut is use Truvia Nectar, because it has 50 percent fewer calories than sugar. I put it in my Greek yogurt, tea, or anything else I usually put honey, sugar, or agave in.”
2. Add veggies to breakfast time.
— Jackie Newgent, R.D.N., culinary nutritionist and author of The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook
“One health-protective habit I often recommend is aim to fill half of every mealtime plate or bowl with non-starchy veggies. For most people (including me!), that’s easier to do for lunch and dinner than for breakfast. So, my eating resolution this year is to include veggies in one way or another at every breakfast. I see plenty of non-traditional breakfasts in the future!”
3. Choosing Whole grain bread.
As opposed to refined grains, which have been linked to many health issues, whole grains have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Eggs are incredibly healthy, especially if you eat them in the morning.
You can easily make your diet a bit healthier by choosing whole grain bread in place of traditional refined-grain bread.
4. Eat egg or Veggie protein for breakfast.
They are rich in high-quality protein and many essential nutrients that people often don’t get enough of, such as choline.
When looking at studies comparing various types of calorie-matched breakfasts, eggs come out on top.
Therefore, simply replacing your current breakfast with eggs may result in major benefits for your health.
Protein is often referred to as the king of nutrients, and it does seem to have some superpowers.
Eating eggs in the morning increases feelings of fullness. This has been shown to cause people to consume fewer calories over the next 36 hours, which can be quite helpful for weight loss
Due to its ability to affect your hunger and satiety hormones, it’s the most filling of the macronutrients
One study in healthy and fit young men showed that eggs caused significantly more fullness, less hunger and a lower desire to eat, compared to a breakfast consisting of cereal or croissantsIn fact, it contains up to three times thamount of protein found in the same amount of regular yogurt, or up to 9 grams per 100 grams
5. Drink enough water.
Many studies have shown that drinking water may benefit weight loss, weight maintenance and even slightly increase the number of calories you burn daily.
Studies also show that drinking water before meals can reduce appetite and calorie intake during the subsequent meal in middle-aged and older adults.