35 Nutrition Habits that you Can Start Today to Upgrade Your Health

Mindful Eating

1. Set your table for a relaxing environment
2. Deep breath before the meal
3. Deep breaths between bites
4. Look at and smell food before eating it
5. Hold food in mouth for taste and texture before chewing
6. Chew slowly
7. Clear distractions while eating

Satiety

1. Drink water before a meal
2. Take 20 Minutes to eat
3. Eat lean protein with each meal
4. Eat a serving of good fat with each meal
5. Check in with your hunger before your meal and between bites
6. Stop eating at 80% full

Vegetables

1. Blend up veggies into your smoothie
2. Research a new way to prepare a vegetable, prepare it
3. Ask a friend their favorite way to prepare a vegetable, try it
4. Get variety and nutrient density by getting one of each colored vegetable each day; green, red, yellow, orange, white, purple, blue
5. Chop and pack veggies for easy preparation and grab and go convenience
6. Order main entrée that is packed with veggies and a smaller portion or side of what you would have usually ordered. (i.e. veggie fajitas with a side of chicken) you will get a higher quantity of vegetables.
7. Add one serving the size of your fist to each meal
8. Take advantage of the pre-cut veggies from the grocery store
9. Wrap your burger or sandwich makings in lettuce instead of bread

Meal Prep

1. Find a set of matching lids/containers that are easily accessible in your kitchen
2. Pack leftovers into single serve containers for easy grab and go
3. Prepare larger quantities of one ingredient for use in multiple meals (i.e. grilled chicken turns into chicken Caesar salad, fajitas, chicken soup, and chicken salad. Bell peppers can be cut to snack on, grill up for fajitas, chopped into chicken salad).
4. Make kitchen tools accessible for use and effective (i.e. sharpen knives, have food processor easy to take out, use, clean, and store).
5. Clean out your fridge for easy access to ingredients
6. Schedule time during your week for recipe research, grocery list creation, shopping, and prepping
7. Have several spice blends on hand for easy variety in cooking (Cajun, Mexican, Greek, Savory, Curry, Italian, Indian, etc.)
8. Create a batch of lentils, black beans, black rice, pinto beans, etc. for easy mix and match with spice blends, veggies, and protein.

Choose Healthy Snacks

1. Make a list of foods you will most certainly overeat if available, probably overeat if available, and a list of safe foods. Clean out your kitchen of foods you will certainly and probably overeat
2. Stash foods you will overeat in their own cupboard or drawer if they have to be in the house for someone else
3. Stock up on healthy, nourishing foods (i.e. berries, veggies you like to eat raw, nuts, olives, eggs, jerky)
4. Pre-portion foods you may overeat if available into single serve glass containers
5. Choose beverages with no calories but taste (i.e. fruit infused seltzer water, high-quality coffee, and teas)

Ideas without action will not create any results

Time to get serious … the magic is not in the lists above. These 35 ideas will remain exactly as that… ideas, unless you formulate a plan and practice them on a daily basis.

Having knowledge means nothing without actually committing to work on a regular basis. So now, Let’s Plan!

1. Revisit the one category on the list that caught your interest the most.
2. Grab a piece of paper or something to take notes with.
3. Ask yourself, on a scale of 1-10 (1= not at all, ugh… 10= Yes, let’s do this!)

How ready (mentally, emotionally) am I to practice any one of these habits *every day* for the next two weeks?

How willing (excited, committed) am I to practice any one of these habits *every day* for the next two weeks?

How able (prepared, have the resources) am I to practice any one of these habits *every day* for the next two weeks?

Adjust the plan if necessary. If you are coming up with a rating of 8 or less on any of these questions, re-visit the habit and adjust it until you are coming up with 9’s and 10’s. For example, Eat Lean Protein with each meal… if committing to each meal is hard to start with Eat Lean Protein with 2 meals a day.

4. Determine how you will remain accountable (mark off daily practice on a calendar, use an app to keep track, hire a coach for accountability)
5. Go forth each day and do the work! If you find you are struggling to practice the habit, take that as a point of data and consider what factors are going on around you that may affect your execution. Adjust and practice again.