National Nutrition Month
As 2019 progresses, it is easy to let your enthusiasm for healthy lifestyle changes decline. This year, reinvigorate your goals by celebrating National Nutrition Month®.
National Nutrition Month®, celebrated in March, was created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to promote the importance of making nourishing and sustainable dietary decisions every day. Whether you hope to decrease your risk of chronic diseases, improve your stamina for daily life, feel better about yourself, or set an example for others, these healthy tips can help you meet your goals.
- Reduce or eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages. You probably already know that a soda habit is detrimental to your health, but remember soda isn’t the only culprit.Certain coffee beverages and teas can contain as much sugar as soda. Even fruit juices with no added sugar can still pack an unwanted caloric punch.
- Diversify your diet.Variety is a key component of excellent nutrition. Don’t get in a rut! Try to eat an assortment of different fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein sources.
- Beware of fad diet trends. Diets can be interesting and effective tools for motivation, but make sure to avoid diets claiming magic cures and quick fixes. It is important to use common sense and a healthy dose of skepticism before following sensationalized diet plans. Any changes you make to your diet should be sustainable in the long term.
- Improve your cooking skills.If you don’t already know how to cook, this may be one of the most important steps to take in bettering your health. Practicing basic techniques with simple recipes and online resources can be an easy way to build confidence in the kitchen. If you already have an arsenal of cooking skills, you have unlimited potential to create healthy and delicious food. Try to prepare your own meals as much as possible.
- Don’t give up when eating out.Eating out can be delicious, fun, and convenient, but it can also sneak in a lot of unwanted calories. Instead of giving yourself a free pass to “cheat” when you go out to dinner or swing by the drive-through, try to choose a balanced meal.
- Strive for sustainability not perfection. Eliminating all “bad” foods and only eating “good” foods sure sounds like an ideal diet. However, black-and-white diets like this make it easier to fail, and harder to continue. The “perfect” diet should account for celebrations and indulgences to be sustainable long term.
- Enjoy food.Never sacrifice taste! Find healthy recipes that you enjoy instead of eating tasteless diet-foods. Spices and herbs are great tools for livening up a boring meal, and there are thousands of healthy, quick recipes that are delicious and satiating.These tips are general guidelines for a successful National Nutrition Month® (and beyond), but if you would like more in-depth help with nutrition, Georgia State offers its employees several resources. Contact the Office of Employee Development and Wellness Services, (404)-413-3342, or email [email protected] for more individualized assistance.
References:
https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month/national-nutrition-month
Photos taken from:
https://www.reference.com/food/different-types-grains-4fdc5c692f79d253
https://ymcaeastvalley.org/kids-cooking-class/
Contributing Writer: Susana Morphis, Nutrition Intern, Employee Development and Wellness Services, Georgia State University