Eating right is essential to keeping our body running at its best. March is National Nutrition Month and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reminds us to build an eating plan keeping our unique lifestyle and nutritional needs in mind.
There is no one way to eat that fits everyone. The most successful, healthy lifestyle includes making changes that are healthy, but also realistic to each person’s situation.
Here are some healthy eating tips for various lifestyles:
Career: keep single-serve packages of crackers, fruit, granola bars, peanut butter low-sodium soup or pouches of tuna in our desk, bag or briefcase.
Athlete: Our bodies need fuel to function, so eat a light breakfast or snack before a workout, such as low-fat yogurt, graham crackers with peanut butter, a banana or cereal with low-fat milk.
Student: Stock smart snacks that combine protein and carbohydrates for the proper fuel such as apples with peanut butter, carrots and hummus, hardboiled eggs and fruit, banana and yogurt, almonds with low-fat cheese or whole-grain cereal.
Families: Keep things simple by building a collection of recipes easy family favorites and write out a weekly meal plan. Choose ingredients that can be used in more than one meal, such as left over roasted chicken for chicken soup of fajitas.
Vegetarian: Vegetarian chili, hummus and veggie filled pita bread, or a Portobello mushroom in place of a burger are all great options.
Whatever our current “occupation,” we can be successful at achieving a healthier lifestyle by making wise choices and small changes, a few at a time.
Happy Nutrition Month!