5 Habits for Weight Loss and Health

“New year, new you” is a great goal. Still, getting and staying on track can be challenging.

Healthy Food

But it’s all very doable with a commitment to nutritious habits. If you’ve started to fall back into old habits, it may be time to get back to basics for better health. Check out these five healthy living tips from Lauren Rezende, MPH, RD, Director of Nutrition, Quality Assurance, at Healthy Dining.

  1. Add fruits and vegetables to your diet. They are powerhouses of good nutrition. Try adding some fruit to your breakfast; choose a veggie side dish when you eat out; and put a variety of veggies onto sandwiches, like lettuce, tomato, pepper, grated carrots, sliced zucchini. Wherever you can, sneak them in for flavor and nutrition!
  2. Eat more whole grains – like oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, barley, and whole grain bread, wraps and crackers. MyPlate recommends making at least half your grains each day whole grains to add waist-friendly fiber, iron, B vitamins and more to your diet.
  3. Shoot for one (additional) meatless day per week – opt for tofu, tempeh, edamame, beans and lentils, along with whole grains – to get enough protein in your diet. The added benefit? Meatless meals are often a budget-friendly option.
  4. Visit HealthyDiningFinder.com before eating out.  This web and mobile site makes it easy to find healthier choices – with nutrition information – at restaurants nationwide from fast food to fine dining, backed by a team of registered dietitians.
  5. Once getting your doctor’s permission, aim for 20 – 30 minutes of physical activity every day.  You don’t have to do it in one chunk, either.  Three 10-minute walks a day work great!

Small changes like these can help you build healthier habits for a lifetime.  What healthier changes are you making in 2017 for a “new you?”