Being Healthy is Easy; Following These 10 Hacks Will Make a Difference
How To Get Your Act 1 Together to Ensure a Thriving Act 2
Theatre teacher turned Nutrition Coach, M.Ed, PN1
We all want to be healthy. We all want to enjoy life. Somewhere along the line, we have believed that the two cannot happen in tandem. It really isn’t difficult to improve your health and weight and still enjoy food. Here are 10 easy changes you can make to change the trajectory and enjoy deep health.
1. Don’t Invite the Enemy
Let’s just be blunt. Why is there a bag of potato chips in your pantry? Ice cream in the freezer? Cookies in the jar? Chocolate bar in your purse? A coupon for fried chicken on the counter? Come on. Willpower does not work; good habits do. Having a treat now and then in moderation is absolutely acceptable but you need to make it a planned, calculated event. If you had to leave the house, go in the cold to get the potato chips you are suddenly craving, it is less appealing and the decision to partake takes longer to make. If there is an alternative close by, you might just eat it instead (air popped popcorn, guacamole & pita). Deciding ahead of time that you will have a piece of cake to celebrate Grandma’s birthday is a planned, calculated event. If you decided ahead of time that you will have just one piece, you probably will. Without thinking ahead and making a specific decision, you might just take one bite, and think, “Mmm. This is good. I need some more.”
2. Enjoy being full. Eat Protein.
Increasing your protein intake could prevent you from needing the snack in the aforementioned paragraph. Protein increases satiety. If you need a technical explanation, protein increases the hormone glucagon which helps control body fat and it can help release free fatty acids from adipose tissues. And if that is not enough incentive, protein helps build and maintain muscle. More muscle helps your metabolism. Need another reason? More protein in our diets helps to ensure optimal immune function. While any increase to your usual amount of protein has benefits, here is the fun challenge. I am not talking about having an extra tablespoon of almond butter, I mean get at least 75g a day. That means, significant protein with every meal. Here is an example.
Breakfast: Greek yogurt (1 cup=20g),
Lunch: Pulled chicken sandwich (1 cup=42g)
Supper: Salmon steak (6 oz=34 g)
Total: 96 g
Notice the serving sizes of each! That’s a big, satisfying portion! And all three only total 816 calories! Lots of room to add your fruit and veggies and other carbs. If you are a vegetarian, it is possible to get the protein your body requires through other sources like legumes, nuts, tofu and plant based protein powder.
Many fitness gurus suggest you get at least the same number of grams of protein as you weigh (pounds), especially if you are exercising. That’s challenging. I think one should aim for at least 75g per day (more is fine) and the bodybuilders can do their fancy calculations.
3. Deploy the Boy Scout/Girl Guide Motto: Be Prepared
Think ahead. It does not have to be complicated. Right before you go to bed, decide what you will have for your three meals the next day. Take the meat for supper out of the freezer and put in the fridge to start thawing safely overnight. I recommend you jot down what the plan is on a post-it note and stick it on the fridge or cupboard. Somehow, this psychologically commits you to it.
Another way to “be prepared” is to always double your recipes. Freeze the other half of the chili you made and put in serving size containers. This can save you from ordering pizza or picking up fast food if bad traffic on the way home from work makes it tight for time to also get to basketball practise that evening. Or you can use those frozen leftovers as healthy grab-and-go lunches. My favourites for freezing are chili, stew, italian casserole, healthy cauliflower mac & cheese, and shepherd's pie.
Ready for the advanced version of “Be Prepared”? Make a weekly menu, order the week’s groceries based upon it. This method allows you to ensure you select mostly leaner meat like chicken and turkey and to have scheduled fish at least once per week. Not everyone is cut out for this type of preparedness but it is an option. Contact me in the nutrition coaching section of my website, planbisbetter.com if this interests you. I do not supply meal plans to clients but I do create customized “meal menus” to help you brainstorm healthy meals.
4. Herbs!
Throwing fresh herbs (dried is fine too but not as flavourful in my opinion) into your recipes adds more flavour and ensures your dining experience doesn’t feel like you have sacrificed taste to be healthy. There are lots of spices that add unique flavour and provide health benefits (cumin reduces inflammation). If you have to purchase your herbs pre-cut from your grocer, put them in a glass filled with water like you would your cut flowers. They will last longer.
5. Sneak Veggies in Everything!
Buy grated carrots. Chop up a large onion and put in a sealed container. Have frozen peas on hand. Get some cans of pumpkin puree. Get the idea? Make them accessible in the kitchen.
Now when you are making your spaghetti sauce for your whole wheat spaghetti, throw in some grated carrots and onion (since they are all ready to go). Making tuna casserole (canned tuna, canned mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, whole wheat egg noodles)? Throw in some of the pre-cut onion, frozen peas (yup, throw them in frozen), even some frozen broccoli florets would work well. I find spinach can be thrown in anything for extra nutrition and you hardly notice it in dishes like scrambled eggs, pasta recipes, shakes, lasagna, casseroles and so on. Oh, and dump that can of pumpkin puree in with your crockpot chilli.
6. Move it!
Just walk every-single-day. How hard is that? Sure, as next steps, add in some ‘formal’ exercise like a HIT class, a game of tennis, canoeing, resistance training...but for now, just move it. Look at your schedule each day and set an alarm in your phone for a walk. Treat it like an actual meeting that you cannot miss. There are lots of options to squeeze it in like taking the dog for a longer walk than just for a bio break, half of your lunch hour, stroll after supper, walk to your dentist appointment. For those of you who live under 5 km from your workplace, WHY AREN’T you walking or biking to work? At least on Fridays. So what if it’s cold outside, hot outside, raining, sunny… we have gear to protect you in each condition. Busy, intense day (I dunno, maybe you work as a cattle caller in the New York stock market)? If at the end of the day you realize you still have not had a walk, get up off your chair. Do 50 jumping jacks. Go up and down the stairs five times. Crank up some music and DANCE. I kid you not, it all COUNTS!! Have some limitations for movement due to a chronic condition or injury… you are not going to like this...they don’t count as excuses. Sit in your chair, put on your favourite upbeat music and conduct a song with your arms! It’s well documented that gardening counts as exercise so why wouldn’t playing the guitar, cleaning the bathroom and lawn bowling also count for healthy movement?! Unless your doctor or healthcare practitioner has expressly forbidden you to exercise, get moving. If unsure, ask your doctor or physiotherapist for some safe movements for you.
7. No ‘seconds”. Next to never.
Miscalculating serving sizes sabotages weight loss efforts and adds complications to weight maintenance. Having a second serving makes little sense unless it's for more vegetables. If you have been really active that day, your body might actually need more calories to build muscle and optimize other functions. Finish your first helping. Put your utensils down. Wait 10 minutes. If you are still hungry, trust your body’s hunger cues and have some more.
8. Slow Down, baby!
Why? The first reason is you will TASTE it! Make your meal an event to look forward to and not as something you need to check off your list.
If you need the health reasons, here you go. Eating slowly improves digestion; digestion begins in the mouth and needs to be broken down into chyme. Eating slowly prevents uncomfortable indigestion and ensures the nutrients in food are absorbed properly. Eating slowly increases satiety. Studies have found that slow eaters consumed 2 ounces of food per minute whereas fast eaters consumed 3.1 ounces per minute. Fast eaters gain more weight over time than those who eat slowly.
Put your fork down with each bite. Don’t put more food in your mouth unless you have swallowed the previous mouthful. Time how long you take to eat and strive to stretch it out next time. This takes a conscious effort. It’s probably the most difficult tip I am giving you.
9. Stay Out of the Grocery Store!
Do not shop everyday. Once a week will do, if you plan ahead. Once you are in the store, it’s too tempting to notice that PC decadent chocolate chip cookies are on sale. Always have a list to follow rather than wandering around pillaging for potential meal ideas. Never grocery shop when you are hungry!
While experiencing the Covid Pandemic, I learned a valuable lesson. I started ordering my groceries on-line for home delivery when my area was in lockdown. I noticed I bought fewer groceries because I was not gaining momentum walking down food aisles. I basically stuck to my list and pressed send!
One exception. If you have a fresh farmer’s market nearby (WALK to it!) and I support you going every day! Generally speaking, the produce available straight from the grower is nutrient dense and healthy!
10. Aim to Make Your Own Food
Consistency not perfection is the key to any healthy habit and we all get in a pinch for time now and then but do strive to make your own food over consuming overly-processed foods. For a lot of people who are carrying a little extra body fat, the switch to preparing their own meals initiates the 5%-10% weight loss required to reduce risks of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Besides, it’s a great feeling when a dinner guest exclaims, “YOU made this?!!! Can I have the recipe?”
Please do not attempt to try all 10 suggestions at once. It won’t work. Well, it might work but not for long. Select the easiest tip for you and try it for a month or so until you are consistent; then move on to implementing another tip. Every little bit moves you toward enjoying deep health both now and going forward. Your future self will thank you for the effort. I promise.
What was your favourite tip in this post? Tell me in the comments below and add any more suggestions you have to health-seekers. I will write a new, more extensive post with additional information and suggestions based upon whichever tip raises the most commotion in the comments section below.
ADDENDUM:
I know. The debate is on. Peas are both a legume and a vegetable. Regardless of what camp you put them in, they benefit your immune system and provide antioxidant vitamins like Vitamins C, B and K. As a bonus, each cup has 8.5 grams of protein and 9 grams of fibre. Wait! There’s more! Green peas have lutein which is a nutrient that helps keep the cells in your eyes healthy. A cup of cooked peas has 2.5 mg of iron, 62 mg of magnesium to support your muscle, bone and blood health. They even have zinc which heals wounds! Why not throw peas in everything… even your salad!
References:
PN Nutrition.com, Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD, CSCS, “All About Eating Slowly”.
