Build a Better You: Simple ways to improve nutrition

A few simple tips to help you improve your nutrition and stay on track with your health and wellness goals.

Eat nutrient dense foods

Choosing foods that have a lot of nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, are a good way to fuel your body. Protein-rich foods like eggs, cottage cheese, edamame, tuna, lentils, almonds and tempeh are other great options with nutrients that support energy and nutrition needs. Developing a healthy eating pattern not only gives you energy and helps you lose weight, but it may help reduce the risk of health issues such obesity and heart disease.

Maintain routines

Have you ever found that you perhaps spent the first half of the year working hard on your fitness and health, but the motivation begins to fade as vacation season approaches? Maybe you are even missing some fitness classes, training sessions, not paying as close attention to portion sizes, or indulging in more treats than you had in the past few months. This is quite common but maintaining your nutrition and fitness routines are critical to building lasting healthy habits.

Hold yourself accountable to maintaining healthy routines by making a list of current nutritional habits supporting your fitness goals. For instance, if you cook dinner most nights or pack your lunch, ensure you continue those same habits going into the summer months. Keep a spreadsheet or journal if needed to ensure you are staying consistent.

Pay attention to hydration and limit caffeine intake

The temperature outside during the summer can lead to more sweat and loss of body fluids, especially during exercise. During the fall, you might not seem as thirsty due to the cooler temperatures. Ensuring that you remain adequately hydrated will reduce the temptation to consume these extra calories and contribute to increased exercise performance.

It's no secret that caffeine can make you feel more energetic. But when you are looking for that morning pick-me-up, it's important to think about the other nutrients you're putting in your body. If you start limiting your caffeine intake you may notice better sleep, you may be less anxious and have fewer headaches.

Drink alcohol in moderation

While frozen drinks or a few extra cold beers at a gathering may sound very nice, doing this habit routinely can impair any nutrition plan and lead to unwanted weight gain. It is helpful to be mindful of how many drinks you are consuming each week and set a weekly limit to avoid overdoing it.

Cook at home often and try to make new healthy recipes

Deciding what to have for dinner can be a constant frustration, which is why many people tend to use the same recipes again and again. Whether these are healthy or unhealthy recipes, it’s always good to try something new.

Aim to try making a new healthy recipe at least once per week. This can change your food and nutrient intake and hopefully add new and healthy recipes to your routine. Alternatively, you can try to make a healthier version of your favorite recipes

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Isabela Joyce is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist at The M.A.C. She can be reached at IJoyce@the-mac.net.