Achieve Proper Nutrition One Step At a Time

by Trina Benchard

Fast-paced lives and junk food habits can make it harder to eat a balanced diet and get the appropriate nutrition. We seem to rely too often on more and more on convenience foods such as frozen meals and take-out. While convenience foods do have some nutritional value, most are also filled with empty calories.

Good nutrition is vital in retaining vibrant health as we age. Poor nutrition can lead to illness, lethargy, and even depression. Proper nutrition may seem like an unattainable goal for many of us, but with these easy tips you can start to work towards getting your eating habits on track for good health and well-being for many years to come.

The key to improving your nutrition is to start off small. If you attempt to change your eating habits in a few days you are almost certain to fail. Our eating habits typically take years to develop, and changing them in a short period of time is unlikely. By taking small steps to change your current diet, over time the change will seem easy and before you know it you will be eating a diet full of healthy nutrition.

For instance, if you eat a muffin and a coffee from your favorite cafe for breakfast every morning, why not bake a batch of healthy bran muffins with dates or raisins at the beginning of the week. You can take these with you if you're in a rush and add to that a glass of orange juice. This combination has much more healthy nutrition in it than the high-fat commercial muffin and coffee. Sounds simple doesn't it? Little nutrition changes like these really add up and can help make a positive impact on your life.

Good nutrition starts when you head to the grocery store. So many of us stock our shopping carts with foods from the freezer and canned goods aisles. Make a conscious effort to avoid these sections of the grocery store and focus on the outside aisles which contain nutrient rich foods such as produce, low-fat dairy, baked goods, and lean meats.

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If you like frozen foods for the convenience, why not set aside some time on Sunday evening and prepare several large meals that you can then freeze and use as you need during the week. This way you are getting the convenience of simply throwing something in the microwave or oven, but you know what went into this meal and that it contains good nutrition

The new U.S. government dietary guidelines encourage eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods within the basic food groups, while curtailing the intake of alcohol, salt, added sugars, cholesterol, and saturated and trans fats. Eating fiber-rich fruits and vegetables and whole grains is seen as very important.

These are easily achievable goals, if you take it a step at a time. By doing something as simple as substituting whole wheat bread for white bread, you have already made an important move towards good nutrition. Then you can advance to the next step. With one change every week or so, you will soon be eating and feeling a lot better.

Take Small Steps Toward Good Nutrition

Convenience foods and quick meals have become a dangerously large part of the North Amerian diet, creating mega health problems.

Proper nutrition is the key to healthy lives, especially as we age. Empty foods can contribute to lethargy, depression and illness. So eating better is a no brainer, but how can someone make a shift toward improved nutrition?

The key to improving your nutrition is to start off small. If you attempt to change your eating habits in a few days you are almost certain to fail. Our eating habits typically take years to develop, and changing them in a short period of time is unlikely. By taking small steps to change your current diet, over time the change will seem easy and before you know it you will be eating a diet full of healthy nutrition.

Why not start with the first meal of the day? If you are stopping at the local cafe to grab coffee and a muffin, you are ingesting substances without much fuel for the body. The muffin is likely high in fat and over sweet. You could instead bake some healthy bran and raisin muffins that you can cart to work with a glass of orange juice. You'll get better nutrients while saving money. While this change is small, it's a move toward bigger ones.

Good nutrition starts when you head to the grocery store. So many of us stock our shopping carts with foods from the freezer and canned goods aisles. Make a conscious effort to avoid these sections of the grocery store and focus on the outside aisles which contain nutrient rich foods such as produce, low-fat dairy, baked goods, and lean meats.

If you need to use frozen foods because of a busy lifestyle, you can easily make your own and control the ingredients. Just make an extra amount when you cook a meal and then freeze it. Or spend a bit of weekend time creating several meals you can freeze. Then you can pop something into the microwave when you're pressed for time and be sure of healthy eating.

The new U.S. government dietary guidelines encourage eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods within the basic food groups, while curtailing the intake of alcohol, salt, added sugars, cholesterol, and saturated and trans fats. Eating fiber-rich fruits and vegetables and whole grains is seen as very important.

If you want a healthy diet, you can certainly achieve it. Choosing to eat whole wheat bread rather than white is a simple move you can make that boosts you toward your goal. Gradually add in more such changes, and eventually you will be eating well and reaping the positive benefits.

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