07/31/2024
8 Simple Nutrition Tips for Everyone
By Alan Reisinger, III, MD, FACP
We all know we’re supposed to “eat healthy.” But what the heck does that even mean? Ask five different people and you’ll get five different answers: paleo, keto, vegan, Mediterranean, low carb. Which is the “correct” diet?
During my decades as a primary care physician, two of the most common topics patients had questions about were diet and weight loss. According to the CDC, more than 73% of Americans are overweight — and over 40% are obese. That means only about one in four of us is at a healthy weight. Many people feel great shame about their weight and struggle to talk about it. I mention these statistics to try to destigmatize weight struggles. You are not alone: the vast majority of us are not at an ideal weight. It is an incredibly common struggle and is nothing to be embarrassed about.
There’s no easy, one-size-fits-all answer to eating healthy. If you want to eat better but feel overwhelmed about where to start, keep reading for simple nutrition tips you can implement today.
Whole foods, cooked at home.
When you cook your own meals using whole foods, you know exactly what you’re eating. If you’re overwhelmed by the prospect of suddenly switching to cooking for yourself 100% of the time, don’t worry! It’s not realistic or sustainable to jump right into it. Instead, focus on small incremental changes that you slowly introduce over time.
Maybe start with cooking yourself breakfast from whole ingredients like eggs, peppers, spinach and avocado. Once you have successfully cooked breakfast (almost) every day for a whole month, you can begin cooking your own lunch or dinner, too. Or start with cooking all your daily meals for just one day a week. Find what works for you and gradually build up how much of your food comes from home-cooked whole foods.
To make cooking simpler and more efficient, try the “meal prep” method. It involves setting aside a weekly chunk of time to prepare all the ingredients you’ll need for the coming week’s meals. If you spend a few minutes on Google, you will find many useful meal prep resources, tips and guides to help you get started. Don’t forget to check out the many recipes and meal plans available on MDVIP Connect by clicking on the “Nutrition” tab.
If it has more than one ingredient, put it back!
Not sure if something is a whole food or not? A simple rule of thumb is to look at the ingredients: if it has more than one, put it back! Fruit, vegetables, lean meat, fish and unsalted nuts are all whole foods because they each have only one ingredient.
Whole foods contain essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fiber. Processing foods tends to remove some of their nutrients and add unhealthy fats, sugars and salts. Eating a diet of whole foods can also help you feel full, eat less overall, and over time, it can drastically reduce cravings for sugar, salt and processed food.
Intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting (IF) — also known as time-restricted eating — is when you limit eating to a short window of time and then fast (in other words, eat nothing) for a set period of time before eating again. One popular method is known as 16/8, which involves fasting for 16 hours and restricting your eating to an eight-hour window. This might look like eating between noon and 8 p.m., followed by fasting until noon the next day.
For many people, this approach to eating has been found to be an effective way to lose weight. Some find this to be a simpler, easier way to reduce your food intake without the hassle and confusion of counting calories. For more details, check out this blog featuring eight different types of IF to consider.
Avoid factory-made processed foods and sweetened beverages.
Avoiding factory-made processed foods goes hand in hand with eating whole foods -- whole foods replace processed food! Foods that come in “boxes and bags” tend to be processed (of course, there are exceptions, like bagged or boxed produce, meat, nuts, etc.) and very frequently are made palatable by the addition of fructose.
Sweetened beverages are also processed foods. These include soda, energy drinks, sweet coffee drinks like Frappuccinos and fruit juice. The best drink is good old-fashioned water. If you’re not a fan of plain water, try adding fresh-squeezed lemon or lime, sliced cucumbers, berries, orange slices, or other sliced/squeezed whole fruits or veggies.
Choose extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil over seed oils.
Because they are high in fat and calories, all oils should be used sparingly. But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat them at all. Oils are great for sautéing or adding flavor to all kinds of veggies, meat and fish. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is one of the healthiest options, as it is minimally processed and contains healthy polyphenols and other beneficial antioxidants. I like to describe fructose and seed oils (e.g canola, sunflower, etc.) as metabolic poisons. When you consume oil, I recommend you use EVOO as much as possible, and avocado oil if high heat is needed.
Fiber is food for your microbiome.
Fiber is good for your gut health, which is good for your overall health (check out this article for more information). Your intestinal flora is able to ferment dietary fiber, and the chemicals produced from this process can lower cholesterol and produce an important source of energy.
The fermentation of dietary fiber can also help maintain the intestinal barrier, promoting inflammation-fighting effects that protect the heart. Fiber can even help control your blood sugar, which can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, or help you manage the condition if you already have diabetes. This resource from Harvard features several delicious, fiber-rich foods you can start adding to your diet today.
Mindful eating.
Mindful eating is based on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, a form of meditation that helps you recognize and accept both physical sensations and emotions. When you engage in mindful eating, you apply the concept of mindfulness to your diet. Eat slowly and focus on appreciating and enjoying the sensations, textures, colors, smells and tastes of your food. Recognize any feelings of guilt, shame or anxiety that eating may bring up for you. Stop eating when you’re full and gradually become more attuned to your natural hunger cues.
Over time, mindful eating can promote weight loss, reduce binge eating and improve your overall health. There are lots of great resources online, like the Center for Mindful Eating or this 101 beginner’s guide.
Veggie challenge.
The veggie challenge is simple: 50% of your plate (at every meal!) should contain vegetables. In general, vegetables tend to be both low-calorie and filling. You will feel fuller for longer from half a plate of broccoli than you will from half a sleeve of Oreos. Veggies can be prepared in so many ways: sauteed, steamed, stir fried and more. Explore new preparations and seasonings you’ve never tried before. I bet you will find that vegetables are yummier than you thought.
Remember, as with all positive health changes, your goal should be to incorporate these changes into your diet for the long term. None of these tips are fad diets that you adopt temporarily; these are permanent lifestyle changes. While these tips can indeed help you lose weight, they can also help you improve your overall health and wellness.
All progress is good progress, so celebrate each small change you make to your diet. Overhauling a lifetime of unhealthy eating is not easy and is not done overnight. Be patient with yourself and be kind to yourself. And, as always, your MDVIP-affiliated physician is available to answer your questions and make sure these changes are right for you. If you’re serious about changing the way you eat, schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss your healthy eating goals. You can do it! (And it will be more delicious and satisfying than you think!)
