Nutrition experts dole out a ton of advice about how to eat
well—and, most importantly, not lose your mind doing it. But there are some
tips that stand the test of time, and that experts themselves follow. (Because
yes, they're human, too.) Here are 10 habits they live by—and that will change
the way you eat.
Don't give anything up
Eat all the healthy foods you enjoy—but the key is to do it in
smaller quantities.
You don't want to feel deprived as you might have been in previous
attempts to lose weight. The worst thing you can do is be too
strict, then rebound by overeating because you're not satisfied.
Always have a plan
It's easy to get sucked into the lure of the restaurant menu
when you're hungry and everything looks good. You don't have to order the plain
grilled chicken breast with steamed veggies—that would be boring. Order what
you'd like, but balance the meal out with the rest of the day. If
you know you're going out for a steak and chips dinner, go easy on the meat
and starch at lunch. Make sure you're also fitting in healthy fare like whole
grains, fruit, veggies, and nuts and seeds in the other meals and snacks that
day. That way a hunk of steak won't derail your diet and you'll leave happy.
Forget calorie counting
Ditching the habit and instead focus on good-for-you foods,
said Dr. Frank Lipman, integrative and functional medicine physician, founder
of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and author of “The New Health Rules.” Instead
of how many calories, ask yourself where the food came from and if it's
nutritious.
"Healthy, nutrient-rich foods will keep hunger at bay,
help maintain stable blood sugar levels, minimize cravings, and help your brain
signal your belly when you're full," he said.
In other words, you don't have to go through all the trouble
of counting.
Don't eat boring food
Nutritionists are always saying to eat more vegetables, so
cook them in a way that takes them from ho-hum to yum-yum.
"I am yet to find steamed veggies exciting!" said Tuane Kirschner, our Head Health Coach.
Always incorporate high-flavor add-ons to jazz up veggies,
like sautéing with olive oil and garlic, or spraying them with olive oil before
throwing them in an oven with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. That way, you
don't equate "healthy" with "tasteless," a mindset that
will knock you off the veggie bandwagon fast. Another tip: buy a spiralizer and
make zucchini noodles. Topped off with a rich tomato sauce, you'll feel like
you're eating pasta.
Prep and store
Even more important than shopping for healthy foods: actually
eating them. When you get home from the store or market, bounty of
fruits and veggies in tow, wash and chop them right away and store in a pretty
glass container in your fridge.
Studies show that spending more time on food prep is
linked to better eating habits.
It's all about convenience—if they're ready for you, you'll
grab them in a pinch. If not? It's chips and dip time. You can also do this
with other foods, like making a batch of quinoa for the week or roasting a
bunch of veggies to throw together for quick lunches.
Eat lunch like a king
You've heard to make breakfast the biggest meal of your day,
but you may not be that hungry when you wake up. In fact, "your biggest
meal should be around noon when your digestion is at its peak and you can feed
your body when it actually needs fuel. That means you don't
need a huge meal at dinner only to sit and catch up on 7 De Laan and then
go to bed. But "big" doesn't mean burger and fry big. At lunch,
emphasise protein and greens, like a hearty bowl of lentil soup and kale salad.
Another bonus: after dinner you won't have the feeling you need to unbutton
your pants.
Drop the food guilt
It's trendy to think "food should be fuel" or that
food is something that helps you lose (or gain) weight. But thinking
only in terms of number on the scale takes away a huge part of what eating is
about: pleasure.
If you think of eating as something enjoyable and
something you do without guilt or without judging yourself, and you stay
active, you're less likely to overeat, have a better diet, and maintain any
weight loss for the long haul.
It's true: feeling guilty about your food choices can
undermine weight loss—and even pack on the kilos—while a celebratory mindset
gives you more control over your diet and can thwart weight gain, found a 2014
study in the journal Appetite.
Eat the rainbow
Greens, oranges, reds, purples, yellows...understand. Eating the rainbow will supply your body with a range of
disease-fighting phyto-nutrients, and will naturally fill you up to help you cut
back on unhealthy foods. Plus, most adults struggle with getting
the recommended five servings a day (though some say seven servings). A
worldwide study in 2014 found 58 to 88 percent of adults don't hit that mark.
Aiming for a diverse intake of produce from all colors of the rainbow will help
you boost your intake. In another study, adults who were offered a variety of
vegetables ate more of them without increasing the calories at the meal, found
a 2012 study.
Know where your snacks are
Sure, you don't know what you'll be in the mood for later,
and will you even be hungry? Yes, probably. After all, increased snacking is
one reason behind the rise in calorie intake over the past few decades,
according to a 2011 study in PLOS ONE.
"When you leave your office desk to go find something,
that's when bad choices are made. That's when the mini sausage rolls, bag of soft sweets, or doughnuts can look very appealing."
Make sure your desk (or fridge) is stocked with an emergency
stash of snacks, like Greek yogurt, individual packs of nuts, dried fruit, and
biltong.
Follow the 80/20 rule…kind of
There are two ways you can think about 80/20 eating. One:
eat healthy 80 percent of the time and save 20 percent for splurges. That's
great because it stresses how eating is not about perfection, and as we
mentioned earlier, how it can be pleasurable, too. However, what does that
really look like? That might mean having a 150-calorie treat daily or saving it all up for a big meal out on the weekend. Make it
work for you rather than stressing out about percentages.
Another spin on the 80/20 rule: stopping eating
when you're 80 percent full. That means slowing down and checking in
periodically throughout the meal about what your body is saying. Does the food
no longer taste great? Are you getting that "I don't really need any more
feeling"? Thinking 80/20 as you eat can help slow you down and be more
mindful. Being in tune with your body prevents overeating.
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