4 Ways to Improve Your Nutrition Habits Right Now
It’s tough to be healthy—our culture often sets us up for failure. If it were easy, wouldn’t we all have six-pack abs? Snack foods are everywhere, healthy grocery options can be hard to find, and our work culture encourages long hours and constant availability—even on vacation. Add to that socializing, which often revolves around alcohol and food, and it’s no wonder staying healthy feels like an uphill battle. But don’t worry—we’re here to help!
Here are 4 tips to start building healthy habits today.
1. Meal Prep
I know, I say meal prep and I can feel you cringe through my computer screen. I promise, planning ahead doesn’t have to be so terrible! Especially once you get the hang of it. Plan time (1-2 hours) in your weekend and set yourself up for a successful week. Yes this can feel like a chore, but the payoff is worth it. Once you get into the habit of doing this every week, it will get easier! Here’s a few examples of what to meal prep:
2 types of protein (chicken, beef, pork)
How to prepare: bake in the oven, put in the Instant Pot/Crock-pot, air fryer
2 vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, brussels sprouts - you can even buy some of these pre-cut)
How to prepare: bake in the oven, saute in a saucepan, put in the air fryer, steam
2 carbs (sweet potatoes, rice, spaghetti squash, quinoa)
How to prepare: bake, boil, steam, Instant Pot/Crock-pot
It also doesn't have to be boring. You can spice things up. Literally.
Season your veggies- a few of my favorites are salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, rosemary, basil
Squeeze fresh citrus juice over your protein.
Add nuts, seeds, avocado to your meal for some fats and extra flavor!
2. Don’t let one bad meal ruin the rest of your day
Sometimes we fall off track. We’re only human and we can’t be perfect all the time, nor should we expect to be. There will be times you accidentally eat an entire box of Girl Scout Samoas on your way to work (cough, cough, Justin). It doesn’t mean you just say “f-it” and ruin the rest of the day... or week! It’s better to accept that blip and know you are only human.
Think of it this way, if you got one flat tire, would you say, “f-it” and slash all the others? No! Healthy habits are built over time. Understand that your goals should be something that you can maintain and stick to with some flexibility.. If you end up having a bad day, DO skip the guilt and focus on making your next meal a good one. DON’T overcompensate or punish yourself by starving yourself or only allowing yourself to eat a piece of lettuce and have a sip of water... ;)
3. Build structure where there is none
Weekends are often a time to decompress after a long workweek—socializing with friends, family, and enjoying a nice dinner or some drinks. But with less structure, it’s easy to slip into unhealthy habits. If you’re like me, you might get so busy that you suddenly realize it’s 3 PM, you’re hangry, and you haven’t eaten since breakfast. Then dinner turns into a binge-fest.
It’s perfectly okay to enjoy an unplanned meal or a night out—you deserve it! I’m a big believer in balance and following the 80/20 rule, but finding that balance can be tricky. Let’s put it in perspective: with 21 meals in a week, if you go off track from Friday night to Sunday, that’s ⅓ of your meals—or only 66% effort. That’s a D! Imagine putting 66% effort into your workouts—you’d be frustrated, right?
So, how do you stay on track? Plan ahead. Add structure to your weekend and prioritize your meals—it makes all the difference!
4. Add more color to your diet
Eat more veggies. Seems simple, I know. But do you do it? Why not?
Vegetables offer numerous benefits. Prioritizing whole foods leaves less room for calorie-dense, processed options that often lead to fat storage. A varied, nutrient-rich diet provides essential micronutrients critical for bodily functions, while a lack of fruits, veggies, and other whole foods can cause deficiencies and health issues. Still need convincing? Here are more reasons to eat more fruits and vegetables:
They can help preserve bone mass and muscle tissue
They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients
They’re low in calories
A higher consumption of veggies (and fruits) is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases
Most fruits and vegetables are low on the glycemic index and won’t significantly alter blood glucose and insulin levels. This can help with satiety and body composition.
I challenge you to make your lives a little more colorful and fill your plate half way with fruits and vegetables for the next two weeks. Check in and see how you feel.
We’ve added a nutrition program to Seacoast Athletics. If you are interested in learning more, reach out to Lisa@seacoastathletics.com.