- by Kelly Miller
- 2 minute read
5 Nutrition Habits to Change Your Life in 2022!
Written By: Registered Dietitian Mairead
Are you ready to change your life this year?
I’m sure you’ve already seen 12 Instagram posts like this today alone, but stick with us!
The habits that really make all the difference in our health goals tend to be very basic foundational habits, not the tiny, nit-picky changes that might seem more fancy.
Here’s this dietitian’s top 5 habits that can change your life for the better this year:
Include a fruit or vegetable at most meals!
Why not all meals? Because that’s not realistic! There’s going to be days you’re running late and grab breakfast in the drive thru or just don’t have the energy to add a vegetable to your dinner. And that’s ok! By including fruits and vegetables most of the time, we get all the great benefits of them, without feeling the pressure to eat perfectly all the time.
Include a source of protein at most meals!
Again, note this says most, not all. We’re aiming for progress, not perfection! We’re also focusing on getting in protein consistently, not fussing so much about the exact number of grams. A few grams here and there won’t make or break your health, but being consistent with that protein intake helps us build strong muscles, recover from exercise, and stay satisfied and full!
Eat foods you actually like regularly!
When you’re eating foods you enjoy, you’re more likely to be satisfied with your meals and snacks. This could include leaning on your favourite vegetables to meet goals #1, or it could mean including a piece of chocolate every day. Think about what brings you the most satisfaction in your eating habits!
Have some reliable go-tos for when life gets busy!
When clients are first trying to get more organized with their eating, I often have them come up with a few meals they can make any time with foods they usually have in the house. This means that even on the days you have no idea what to make, you have some options to fall back on. It could be peanut butter toast with some fruit, pasta with sauce and vegetables, or a frozen meal with salad on the side. The goal is to take some of the stress out of deciding what to eat when you need to!
Make realistic changes one at a time!
If we try to overhaul everything in one go, we often end up overwhelmed and falling back into old habits. When we focus on just one thing at a time until it becomes part of our life that we don’t really have to think about, we’re more likely to keep that habit, and be able to build the next one on top. What’s one small habit you could work on for the next few weeks?
Again, note this says most, not all. We’re aiming for progress, not perfection! We’re also focusing on getting in protein consistently, not fussing so much about the exact number of grams. A few grams here and there won’t make or break your health, but being consistent with that protein intake helps us build strong muscles, recover from exercise, and stay satisfied and full!
When you’re eating foods you enjoy, you’re more likely to be satisfied with your meals and snacks. This could include leaning on your favourite vegetables to meet goals #1, or it could mean including a piece of chocolate every day. Think about what brings you the most satisfaction in your eating habits!
When clients are first trying to get more organized with their eating, I often have them come up with a few meals they can make any time with foods they usually have in the house. This means that even on the days you have no idea what to make, you have some options to fall back on. It could be peanut butter toast with some fruit, pasta with sauce and vegetables, or a frozen meal with salad on the side. The goal is to take some of the stress out of deciding what to eat when you need to!
If we try to overhaul everything in one go, we often end up overwhelmed and falling back into old habits. When we focus on just one thing at a time until it becomes part of our life that we don’t really have to think about, we’re more likely to keep that habit, and be able to build the next one on top. What’s one small habit you could work on for the next few weeks?