Download A Brief Guide to Healthy Eating

A Brief Guide to Healthy Eating
Create a healthy lifestyle
 Diets don’t work! Ninety-five percent of dieters regain their lost weight, and even gain
additional weight. Many of those who succeed have adopted a healthy lifestyle.
 Small changes can lead to enormous progress over time. Choose goals that are realistic and
sustainable, and build on them.
 Making healthy choices about eating and exercise most of the time can improve your health and
help achieve a healthy weight range. Perfection is not the goal.
 Get adequate sleep. Less than 7 hours of sleep per day can lead to increased appetite and a
tendency to eat more. Inadequate sleep can also slow metabolism.
 Be physically active. Include at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days, as well as
strength training 2-3 times per week.
Some nutrition tips
 Breakfast really is one of the most important meals of the day. Eating within an hour of waking
up gets your metabolism going and makes you less hungry later.
 Eating every 3-4 hours helps you maintain your metabolism, keep blood sugar levels and mood
stable, and avoid getting ravenously hungry and overeating.
 Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger.
 Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day. Include whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, as
well as low fat milk and milk products, seafood and lean protein.
 Limit foods high in saturated and trans fat, added sugars, refined grains, and sodium.
 Plan healthy snacks, such as yogurt, fruit, and trail mix, and make sure they are available.
 Be a wise shopper: buy groceries using a list, read food labels, and don’t shop hungry.
And consider this…
 Eating should be a pleasurable experience. It’s not just about calories and nutrients.
 Practice mindful eating. Sit down for meals and pay attention to what you are doing. Be
respectful of your body’s signals of hunger and fullness.
 Sometimes set-backs in your goals can happen. Learn from them, let them go and move on.
 Find non-food ways to help manage stress, e.g., going for a walk, talking with a friend,
listening to music, or reading a book.
 Contact a registered dietitian if you are looking for personalized nutrition counseling.
Cathy J. Saloff-Coste, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition ReSource, 120 E. Buffalo Street #3, Ithaca, NY 14850, 607-277-2053
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