Insight Magazine January Edition

What Exactly is “Eating Right?”

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So you’ve made the resolution. Again. This is the year that you are going to diet, exercise and eat right to improve your overall health. But with all that positive self-talk, have you stopped to really consider what “eating right” actually is? It’s more than just what you eat, but when and how you eat it.

The first thing to remember when planning your new lifestyle is that there is no one “right” way of eating. “Different things work for different people depending on their current health and medical status, lifestyle, culture and food preferences,” says Sharon Bartfield, a registered dietician and nutritionist with the YMCA of Central Florida. More than just losing weight and gaining energy, Bartfield says that eating a healthy diet by consuming a variety of nutrient dense foods in the proper balance will help to maintain or improve overall health and prevent chronic disease. “This allows for consumption of a variety of foods, but in moderation,” she says.

“Eating a more healthful diet does not mean deprivation,” says Bartfield. “I encourage anyone who is striving towards creating a more healthful diet to learn about how to prepare foods in a more healthful way without sacrificing flavor and time.”

You should start by eating more whole foods that are less processed, such as fresh produce. “These days one of my biggest sellers is fresh produce,” says Omar Caiola, president of Central Florida Outdoor Markets. Caiola’s company holds several farmers markets every week and has seen a recent boom in the amount of organic and homemade products people are buying. “They don’t have a lot of the chemicals and fillers found in their mass produced counterparts. We are selling so much that in our Nona Farmers Market we are adding a second produce vendor to keep up with demand,” he says.

But changing a majority of what you eat isn’t enough. You also have to change how you eat. For one, you should put protein and fiber in each meal and snack. “This provides more ’staying power’ to keep you satisfied longer,” says Bartfield. Speaking of snacks, you should schedule snacks between meals if you are going more than three or four hours until you eat your next meal. “Make sure your snack has both a good carbohydrate and protein such as low fat yogurt and fruit,” she says.

More than anything else, it’s important to remember that changing your habits needs to be considered a new way of living, not a short term plan. “One thing is for sure though,” Bartfield says. “The combination of a healthful diet and exercise is the key to long term success.”

Take a look at Bartfield’s complete Tip Sheet to healthy eating here:

• Consider eating early: Start the day with breakfast. This provides the fuel for your body to get started for the day and will prevent over consumption of calories later in the day.

• Eat regularly: Don’t skip meals. Getting “over hungry” leads to “over eating.”

• Put protein and fiber in each meal and snack. This will provide more “staying power” to keep you satisfied longer.

• Eat half: We have entered the realm of “portion distortion.” Today’s portions are far more servings than what your body needs. If you are eating out, consider eating half and taking the other half home.

• Slow down: It takes time for the brain to perceive the food that enters your digestive system. Give yourself at least 20 minutes before reaching for more food. This way you might realize that you are not truly hungry anymore.

• Sleep more: Research has shown that getting eight hours of sleep per night can result in less weight gain. When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies try to compensate for lack of energy by eating more. There are also hormones involved that encourage more eating.

• Try scheduling your snacks between meals: Especially if you are going for more than three or four hours until you get to eat your next meal. This will help prevent you from getting ravenous and over eating. Still pay attention to portion sizes and calories. Some examples of snacks can be some low fat yogurt and fruit, a piece of string cheese and a banana, a small apple and 1 tablespoon of peanut or almond butter, 1 ½ ounces of nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc.). I often recommend that people pack there snacks and take them with them so they are not tempted to consume less healthful choices that are around them.

Article by Corey Gehrold