Five Easy Steps to Jump-start Balanced Nutrition Habits

January 2, 2008

With today's hectic schedules, eating can become a matter of convenience rather than choice. Don't let that happen! Use these easy ideas to choose more wisely and get a jump start on healthful eating for a lifetime.

Step 1. Eat the Pyramid

"Balance in nutrition is about getting the right combination of nutrients needed by the body to support growth and have energy," says James M. Rippe, M.D., author of Your Plan for a Balanced Life. Using the Start Making Choices™ Balanced Life Plan makes it easy to choose wisely with simple daily menus based on the USDA MyPyramid Plan.

Step 2. Take the Balanced Life Index (BLI) Survey

In just a few minutes, the BLI survey at Start Making Choices can help you evaluate your current diet, and suggest ways to improve it. Then, just follow the simple steps in the Nutrition Plan created just for you.

Step 3. Take Small Steps That Stick

Choose to work on one action step a week until it becomes a habit. Perhaps you’d like to eat more fruit? Then spend a week focusing on making fruit part of your daily routine. The following week, move on to your next action step.

Step 4. Make Every Bite Count

Make your meals and snacks work twice as hard for you by making smart choices with every morsel. For instance, choose a whole-grain snack such as Orville Redenbacher’s® SmartPop!® popcorn. It’s a satisfying snack that provides two servings of whole grain per serving, and can help keep your appetite in check until your next meal.

Step 5. Celebrate Your Progress

“Keeping track of your progress motivates you to keep going,” says Dr. Rippe. Retake the BLI survey weekly or every other week, just before you plan your weekly menu. It’s easy to log your daily meals with Start Making Choices. The program will even keep track of your progress for you! Give yourself credit for steps accomplished even if they seem small.

Remember, don't get overwhelmed by trying to change too many things at once. Take it one small step at a time, and soon you’ll be making balanced nutrition choices that’ll make a big difference in your life.

Dr. Rippe's Balanced Nutrition Plan guidelines (based on MyPyramid Plan):

Eat at least 2 cups of fruit daily.
Eat at least 2-1/2 cups of vegetables daily. Try adding Hunt’s® Diced Tomatoes to your favorite recipes for an instant veggie boost.
Make at least half of your grain-based foods whole grain.
Eat at least three whole-grain servings daily (ounce equivalents).
Consume three servings of fat-free or low-fat milk, milk products, or milk equivalents daily.
Eat a total of 5 to 6 ounces of protein-rich foods daily. (If selecting meat, poultry, or fish, that’s about two 3-ounce servings.)
Select healthy oils to keep fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of daily calories.
Minimize food choices with saturated fat and avoid trans fats whenever possible.

Topics: Healthy Foods and Nutrients

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