Nutrition in the New Year

Here are five simple steps to eat healthier in 2024

It’s time to start fresh and wipe the slate clean. Many set New Year’s resolutions. One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight/get healthier. Although this is a worthwhile endeavor, research shows that most people have abandoned their resolutions within the first month. As a Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Loss Management, I would like to offer a different strategy.

Diets don’t work because they are restrictive and often eliminate our favorite foods. Losing weight and becoming healthier requires permanent change. It means adopting an eating pattern that can be enjoyed about 80% of the time. There must be room for special occasions and favorite foods.

Making small changes can add up to big results over the long term. It also allows an adjustment period to become comfortable with the changes. Implementing one change at a time generally increases success and prevents frustration. The following suggestions for change in eating patterns can be a starting place for better health in the coming year.

1. Reduce beverages with calories. Many high-calorie beverages, such as soda, flavored coffee drinks, sweetened teas, and energy drinks, can contribute 500-1000 calories in a day. Beverages do nothing to produce fullness; therefore, we often don’t recognize the number of calories we drink. Choosing a calorie-free beverage and slowly replacing it with high-calorie beverages is one way to greatly reduce sugar and calories in your eating plan.

2. Increase fiber in meals and snacks. Men should aim for 38 grams of fiber daily, and women should aim for 25 grams/ day. Fiber is slow to digest and keeps us fuller for longer. It can help reduce cholesterol levels and keep us regular. Fiber is also essential for optimal gut health. The more different foods with fiber eaten, the more diverse our gut bacteria are. The more diverse the gut bacteria, the less likely we are to develop obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

3. Add more plant foods to daily meals and snacks. Fiber comes from plants. The less refined a plant food is, the more fiber it has. Eating a wide variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds will help meet the daily fiber goal and diversify gut bacteria.

4. Reduce the number of meals eaten away from home. Most restaurant and fast-food meals have little fiber and are high in fat, sugar, and salt. Eating most meals at home allows for healthier food choices with the ability to control the amount of added fat, sugar, and salt.

5. Reduce portion sizes. Since the invention of “supersized” meals, serving sizes have become distorted, and serving sizes have become larger at home, too. Reducing each item eaten by a small amount can add up. Try eating off a smaller plate. Often, the smaller amounts are enough to provide fullness. Before returning for seconds, take 5-10 minutes to ensure you are not already full.

Choosing one modification in eating habits can greatly improve health. Once successful with one change, try another. The key is consistency over time. Follow an eating pattern that is sustainable. This more realistic approach will have better long- term success than any “restrictive diet.”

Jeannee Diaz is a Clinical Dietician in Baker City and Ontario and may be reached at jeanneediaz@sainalphonsus.org or 541-881-4740.