Don't diet: follow this healthy eating plan instead

Don't diet: follow this healthy eating plan instead.

Let's talk healthy eating. I don't diet nor do I typically recommend any specific diets. This is true in my personal life as well as my professional career as a physician assistant. Diets often backfire and fail; they can be too restrictive in terms of limiting calories, certain foods or entire food groups. Diets can lead to disordered eating and malnutrition. Instead, I follow and recommend guidelines to promote a healthy eating plan. I compiled a list of the most common recommendations in over a decade of working in mostly primary care fields. 

According to this Forbes article, over 40% of Americans are obese. Obesity is a risk factor for many medical conditions, so losing weight is a worthy pursuit. Developing healthy eating habits should be part of a holistic plan for longevity and wellness regardless of your current or goal weight. Practical guidelines can help you create lasting lifestyle changes. Let's dig in!

10 Guidelines for a Healthy Eating Plan

1. Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store.

Think about the structure of your grocery store, and what can be found around the perimeter: fresh produce, (low fat) dairy products and lean meats. Try to avoid the center aisles that contain breads, cereals, pastas and processed foods and snacks. 

2. If God didn't make it or if you can eat it on the way to the car, don't buy it. 

This is also a guideline that attempts to avoid packaged and processed foods. Even most fresh fruits and vegetables should be washed before consumption!

3. If it's not meat or a vegetable, consider it a carbohydrate.

Bread, fruit, pasta, rice, etc. Carbohydrates are the common culprit of an expanding waistline! Check out this heathshots article that outlines the negative effects of excess carbohydrate consumption. 

4. Eat the rainbow.

I will never forget one of my pediatric clients saying, "you mean like Fruit Loops?" in response to this guideline (kids are so funny)! Eating the rainbow will help ensure intake of essential nutrients and vitamins from a variety of fruits and vegetables. 

5. It's better to eat fruit than drink juice.

There's just too much added sugar in fruit juice. Stick to the actual fruit!

6. Everything counts in large amounts.

You can have too much of a good thing. Even if you're eating healthy foods, you can overdo it if your portions are large. While it's not its own guideline because it could lead to disordered eating or become an obsession, consider counting calories (there's an app for that). Even if only done for a brief period of time, counting calories can teach you about portion sizes and encourage you to opt for filling low calorie foods rather than nutritionally empty calorie packed options. Try this Greater Goods food scale or these portion control containers as aids (commissions earned). 

7. Have a plan for hunger.

Hunger will happen. If you don't plan for it, then you're more likely to make unhealthy choices. Meal prep if you must, and pack snacks for on the go. I love glass meal prep containers because they're microwave and dishwasher safe, and don't become discolored! Purchase snack sized foods, or buy in bulk and pack yourself to save money. There are disposable Ziplock snack bags as well as reusable snack bags (commissions earned). The key is to have prepared options that you actually like, and will choose to eat over unhealthy convenient options. 

8. Hydrate well.

Water is essential to the proper functioning of body systems. If you feel thirsty, then you should drink! But the sensation of hunger could also be your body telling you it needs water! Aim to drink nine to thirteen 8 oz cups of water daily - the right amount for you will depend on your age, gender, climate, activity level and health status. Check out this article for more information: eatright.org. Consider investing in a Brita water filter pitcher and Hydroflask insulated water bottle so you always have fresh drinking water at the ready (commissions earned). 

9. Prioritize sleep.

Sleep is essential to healthy eating and weight maintenance. Poor sleep can alter hormone levels that increase hunger. Sleep deprivation leads to increased grehlin and decreased leptin. Grehlin stimulates the appetite and leptin helps you feel full from eating. You can see the problem from wanting to eat and not feeling full! With less sleep, you also have more time to eat and may have less energy to prepare nutritious foods or decreased desire to choose healthy options. Source and for more information: harvard.edu. If sleep is a struggle, check out my blog post about improving sleep hygiene.

10. Move your body.

As the saying goes, "abs are made in the kitchen." You can out eat any physical efforts (even weight loss surgery!). Why do you think workout regimens and surgical interventions need to be accompanied by dietary changes? Food can be addictive, but eating cannot be avoided. The importance of developing lasting lifestyle changes when it comes to healthy eating habits cannot be stressed enough. You can do a moderate workout, but then eat an "everything bagel" and the caloric intake will blow the calories burned out of the water! While it's not always as simple as calories out > calories in, exercise is important because it promotes healthy eating and weight maintenance/loss. Healthy eating and physical activity are synergistic, each beneficial and feeding off each other (pun intended)! Make both a priority! In addition to your commitment to follow a healthy eating plan, consider establishing a low impact healthy heart exercise such as walking that you can maintain as you get older, God willing! Yoga can improve your physical and mental health as well as your balance and flexibility, preventing falls and injury. Using a food and exercise journal for motivation and accountability may be beneficial (commissions earned). 

Conclusion

Don't diet. Diets fail because they're often too restrictive. If you struggle to follow a healthy eating plan, then you're not alone. Rather than diet, develop holistic healthy eating habits that encompass more than the act of eating and will withstand the lifespan. Your healthy eating plan starts at the grocery store and the food options you have in your home. Be mindful of and limit carbohydrate consumption and portion sizes. Consume a variety of color and avoid packaged and processed foods. Plan and prep for hunger, but give yourself grace if you experience a setback. Finally, hydrate and sleep well so that your body will work for and not against you in the effort to establish and maintain healthy eating habits and weight. 

Would you add any healthy eating tips to this list? Let me know in the comments!

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