National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign, created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and occurs each March. It spotlights the importance of making informed decisions and developing beneficial eating and physical activity habits.  Taking charge of your health promotes overall well-being, a healthy weight, disease prevention, increased energy and a healthier heart just to name a few.

Adopting new habits doesn’t need to happen in one giant leap or even in the one month of March.  Changes don’t need to be drastic and feel out of reach.  Instead, focus on small changes that you can realistically incorporate one day at time.  It is better to take baby steps on your quest to build a stronger, healthier version of yourself.  Setting small goals and accomplishing those goals can be just the motivator you need.

Most people go through four phases of change when adopting a new habit.  Don’t feel defeated when a new habit doesn’t automatically stick.  It takes time and thought.

1. CONTEMPLATION: You are considering a change
2. PREPARATION: You decided to make a change 
3. ACTION: You have taken action to make the change
4. MAINTENANCE: A change has become a new part of your routine.

Grab your calendar and start jotting down just one challenge on each day of the month and start creating some new beneficial, healthy, long-term habits!

Here are a few daily challenge ideas to get you started:

• Eat a healthy higher protein breakfast
• Eat 3 servings of veggies, make one of them dark green
• Take a brisk 20-minute walk
• Try a NEW fruit you have never had
• Try a NEW vegetable you have never had
• Eat no added sugar for the whole day
• Make a switch to a whole grain, such as eating brown rice in place of white rice
• Drink 8 glasses of water and start your day with one glass before you eat or drink anything else
• Do two 30 second planks
• Make a new healthy recipe for dinner
• Prepare a meatless meal
• Eat grilled or baked fish for dinner
• Go to bed 1 hour earlier
• Read the food label on one of your favorite foods
• Write down what you eat as you go through the day
• Plan meals and snacks ahead of time for the next day
• Place fruits and veggies at eye level in your fridge
• Meditate for 10 minutes in middle of your day

HOW WILL YOU CELEBRATE NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH®?

Sources:

1. https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month/national-nutrition-month
2. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diet-nutrition/changing-habits-better-health

Did you know that fiber can help with weight loss by filling you up and keeping you satisfied longer? It also decreases your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. But sadly, Americans rarely consume enough. Check out these tips on ways to include more fiber in your diet:

• Switch to a whole grain cold cereal at breakfast (if you prefer hot cereal, try oatmeal)
• Choose whole grain breads, pastas and cereals in place of more refined/processed choices
• Add a side salad with lunch or dinner
• Add a piece of fruit for a mid-morning or a late afternoon snack
• Try a fruit or vegetable smoothie at home (two servings of fruit (fresh or frozen), two servings of leafy greens, almond milk to consistency, a few ice cubes, and blend)
• Double up on your veggies at dinner
• Add fruit or beands to your dark leafy green salads
• Add raw fruits or veggies to your sandwiches or wraps
• Add chia seed or flax seed into your oatmeal or smoothies
• Snack on raw fruits and veggies as often as you can

Things to remember:

Men should aim for at least 38g per day, while women should aim for at least 25g per day. Increase your fiber intake slowly and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation or nausea.

By: Stephanie Ineman, MS, RDN, LD

Coffee: It’s what gets me going in the morning.  I don’t dare leave home without it for my morning commute.  That first sip is like magic; the smell, the warmth, the taste.  It’s a remarkable sensory experience signifying the start of my day, but it also deserves some recognition on a nutritional level.  Go ahead and grab yourself a cup of coffee and read on…

Coffee has at least 1,000 natural compounds in the bean and another 300 created in the roasting process, including caffeine and powerful antioxidants.  Research has shown that modest coffee consumption (3-5 8oz cups/day) may be associated with liver disease prevention, improved cognitive function in older adults, sharper memory, increased athletic endurance, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and longevity.¹ Pretty amazing, right?

Keep in mind, caffeine affects everyone differently and if you usually drink decaf, three cups may leave you feeling jittery and anxious.  Body weight, gender, heredity, and metabolism can all play a role in your response to caffeine.

Unfortunately, most people just don’t drink black coffee and adding flavoring and sugar begins to diminish the nutritional level.  The American Heart Association recommends that women limit added sugars to 6 teaspoons daily (24 grams), and men should limit to 9 teaspoons (36 grams).²   A large latte from your favorite coffee shop can have up to 5 pumps of flavored syrup.  With each pump consisting of approximately 5 grams of sugar, it adds up quickly!  I know math isn’t everyone’s favorite subject, but that’s 25 grams of added sugar in just one cup of coffee!  Don’t let your morning cup of coffee rob you of your entire allotted sugar for day.

What’s a girl (or guy) to do?  Don’t be afraid to be a little picky! Ask for 1-2 pumps of syrup instead of 5, skip the whip, hold the chocolate shavings, request nonfat milk, or light on the cream.  You can even opt for an “Americano” that doesn’t use any steamed milk at all and just add a splash of milk or cream and 1 pump of syrup for a little flavor to make your taste buds happy.

I try to make my coffee at home to save a few bucks and limit visits to the coffee shop once a week as a treat.  If you get bored with the standard automatic drip, try pour over coffee, flavored coffee beans, French press, single cup espresso/coffee pods, cold brew, or use an old-fashioned percolator.  The type of brew impacts the flavor, so you just might find that perfect cup without adding as much cream or sugar!

Alright, I’m on my last sip of joe and I’ve justified my love of coffee enough for one day.  If you still aren’t keen on coffee, stay tuned for my next blog all about tea!

Sources:

1. National Coffee Association. n.d. Coffee, Caffeine & Health. Retrieved from http://www.ncausa.org/Health-Caffeine. Accessed 27 March, 2018.
2. American Heart Association. Added Sugars. February 2017. Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars_UCM_305858_Article.jsp#.WqqLOujwbIU. Accessed 27 March, 2018.

By Julia Kaesberg, MS, RD, LD, CHES

So often, the members I work with use the words “good” and “bad” to describe foods. I hear, “Well, I ate some bad foods this week, which is why I didn’t lose weight,” or, “I shouldn’t have eaten that.” Does this sound like you? If so, you aren’t alone!

However, I challenge you to rethink this idea of “good” and “bad” foods and “should” and “shouldn’t” eat. What makes a food good? To me, a food is good if tastes good or is satisfying to what I am looking for in that moment. A food is bad if it doesn’t taste good or is spoiled. Simple as that.

What people usually mean when they say “bad” foods are foods that are high in calories, sugar, or fat. But eating 1 donut or 1 scoop of ice cream is not going to make you gain weight. In fact, it’s important to include your favorite treats in your routine occasionally so you don’t feel deprived and go overboard next time.

If you can reframe your thinking towards thinking of foods as nutritious (providing important vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fat), you can change the way you view eating. Eating is wired in our DNA to be a pleasurable experience. The key is finding the balance between eating nutritious foods and occasionally splurging on the ones that maybe don’t give us quite as much nutrition (like the ice cream)!

A good place to start is thinking of the 90-10 rule. 90% of the time, try to have foods that are nutritious and are providing you with something beneficial. 10% of the time, have reasonably sized portions of those not-so-nutritious choices.

And next time you think “good” or “bad” about a food, I hope it is because of the taste!