5 Tips for a Better Diet


 Posted by Susan Bowerman, M.S., RD, CSSD, CSOWM, FAND – Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training  0 Comment

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Simple ideas help you stick to your diet.

Now that we’re a month into the New Year, it’s a good time to assess how those New Year’s resolutions are going. Are your old eating habits sneaking back up on you? Maybe you tried to take on too many changes at once, or you set unrealistic goals, or the scale isn’t moving as quickly as you’d like. Maybe a shift in focus is in order. Rather than trying to tackle everything at once, think about a few small changes that you’re confident you can make right away, even today. That way you’ll build on each small success and rebuild a healthier and better diet, step by step.

A few small changes over the course of the day really can make a huge difference in the overall quality of your diet. Think about your typical diet, the foods you eat day in and day out, and target just one change. Just ditching soda in favor of water at one meal, for example, can cut at least 150 calories and about 10 teaspoons of sugar out of your day.

Change is hard. It’s been estimated that it takes at least six weeks or so for new habits to start to replace the old ones. If your diet is filled with fast food, devoid of fruits and veggies, or is a patchwork of unplanned quick meals or snacks, it can be overwhelming to make all the changes you know you should—especially all at once.

So, here are five simple things you can do today to vastly improve your diet.

    • Have a piece of fruit for dessert. Lose the cakes and cookies at the end of a meal and reach for a piece of fresh fruit instead. Nutrition Boost: Vitamins and minerals, like potassium and vitamin C, along with fiber and antioxidants, and you could save hundreds of calories.

    • Switch to 100% whole grain bread. Swap in whole grain bread instead of the usual white bread for sandwiches or toast. It’s easy to do at home, and many restaurants now offer whole grain bread as an option. Nutrition Boost: An extra dose of much needed fiber.

    • Double-up your veggies at dinner. Fill at least half your plate with veggies and salads. When you’re out, skip the starch and double up on the veggies or have extras added to a sandwich. Nutrition Boost: Nutrient density—you’ll be getting plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in exchange for a low-calorie cost.

    • Have one calcium-rich food. Add a glass of nonfat milk, a scoop of cottage cheese, a carton of yogurt or a stick of string cheese to your day. If you can’t tolerate dairy products, many soy milks, cheeses and yogurts are calcium-fortified. Nutrition Boost: A good dose of bone-building calcium.

    • Try some seafood. Canned tuna can be mixed with mashed avocado for a healthy sandwich spread, or tossed over some pre-washed salad greens for a quick meal. If you lean towards red meat or chicken at meals, try a serving of grilled fish or shellfish instead. Nutrition Boost: Fish contains heart-healthy omega-3 fats, yet it’s low in calories and high in protein.

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Susan is the Senior Director of Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training at Herbalife, where she is responsible for the development of nutrition education and training materials, and is one of the primary authors of the Herbalife-sponsored blog, www.discovergoodnutrition.com. She is a Registered Dietitian and holds two Board Certifications from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and a Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management. Susan is also a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Susan graduated with distinction in biology from the University of Colorado, and received her master’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Colorado State University. She then completed her dietetic internship at the University of Kansas. Susan has taught extensively and developed educational programs targeted to individuals, groups and industry in her areas of expertise, including health promotion, weight management and sports nutrition. Prior to her role at Herbalife, she was the assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, and has held appointments as adjunct professor in nutrition at Pepperdine University and as lecturer in nutrition in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Susan was a consultant to the (then) Los Angeles Raiders for six seasons, and was a contributing columnist for the Los Angeles Times Health Section for two years. She is a co-author of 23 research papers, 14 book chapters, and was a co-author of two books for the public: “What Color is Your Diet?” and “The L.A. Shape Diet” by Dr. David Heber, published by Harper Collins in 2001 and 2004, respectively.