5 Whole Foods to Replace Ergogenic Aids

Supplements are a significant component of the sports nutrition industry, and many manufacturers claim their products can assist with everything from sport performance and weight loss to energy production and muscle recovery. These products are commonly referred to ergogenic aids, which are any external influences believed to enhance physical activity or performance. Nutritionally, these products include sport powders, pills, gels, bars, drinks, jellybeans or any other substance used to boost performance, and a majority of athletes have tried one or more ergogenic aid at one time or another.
While the research is unclear (or nonexistent) regarding the benefits of many of these products, whole foods can provide as much, if not more, power to performance without the added sugars, chemicals or artificial flavors.

What are Whole Foods?
Whole foods are those that are eaten in or close to their natural state. Kory DeAngelo M.S., R.D., a clinical nutrition supervisor at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health, recommends eating whole foods “in their natural form, including an abundance of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins, to give the body an array or vitamins, minerals, fiber and other phytonutrients.”
DeAngelo believes that nature provides the body’s essential nutrients in the whole foods package, and that supplements should not replace healthy eating. In fact, she says, many whole foods cost less and can be used as ergogenic aids. Here are some examples of healthy, whole food alternatives to nutritional supplements.
 

Coconut Water
A growing body of research suggests that coconut water, which some have dubbed “nature’s Gatorade,” is an effective rehydration beverage. One study, for example, showed that fresh young coconut water could be used as a post-exercise rehydration beverage because it doesn’t cause nausea or upset stomachs and is easier to consume in larger quantities compared to plain water and an carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage (Saat et al., 2002).

Beet Juice
Studies examining the benefits of pharmacological sodium nitrate supplementation have found that it can reduce the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise. Bailey et al. (2009) examined the effects of sodium nitrate naturally derived from beetroot juice. In this double-blind study, eight men ingested either beetroot juice or black currant cordial for six consecutive days and completed a “step” progression of moderate to severe exercise. Researchers found that beetroot juice enabled the men to perform the same amount of work with 19-percent less oxygen. When the severe cycling bout occurred, time to exhaustion was extended by approximately 90 seconds, a 16 percent improvement.
Beetroot juice also appears to have cognitive benefits, as well. One study of 40 healthy adults found that those who consumed beetroot juice performed better on cognitive tests than those who drank apple or black currant juice (Ji, 2015).
Beetroot juice is best ingested from freshly juiced beets or in whole form.

Raisins
Carbohydrates are classified as high- or low-glycemic index foods. In terms of exercise, ingesting certain carbohydrates at certain times (before, during and after) may help or hinder performance, nausea and fatigue. Raisins have been shown to be a good plant-based replacement for sport gels and jellybeans for the long-distance cycler and athlete.
One study, for example, compared the effects of eating sun-dried raisins vs. jellybeans during a 10-kilometer time trial. The results showed that raisins are just as effective as jellybeans in maintaining blood glucose levels. In fact, raisins produced the same respiratory exchange ratio, energy expenditure and fat oxidation (Rietschier, 2013).

Ginger
Ginger contains the same analgesic and pharmacological properties as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. One study tested ginger supplementation for attenuating muscle damage and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The study tested 20 non-weight-trained participants who trained high intensity elbow flexor eccentric exercise to induce muscle damage. This occurred after a five-day supplementation period of ingesting either 4 grams of ginger or a placebo. The results showed that the 4 grams of ginger may be used to accelerate the recovery of muscular strength following intense exercise. The ginger did not help muscle damage or DOMS, but accelerated the recovery of muscle strength (Matsumura et al., 2015).
Another study compared raw and heat-treated ginger supplementation for muscle pain for 11 days. Results showed that daily ginger supplementation reduced muscle pain caused from eccentric exercise. The study showed that both forms of ginger reduced pain 24 hours after eccentric exercise compared to the placebo (Black et al., 2010).

Green Tea
Caffeine is found in many sport foods, beverages, gels and weight-loss pills. While caffeine is not essential for healthy living, many people consume it as an ergonomic aid. One theory on why caffeine is used as an aid includes that caffeine spares muscle glycogen and enhances fat oxidation. Though more research is needed to prove that theory, caffeine does create a favorable intracellular ionic environment in active muscles. Caffeine does not improve maximum oxygen output directly, but can allow an athlete to train longer with resistance to fatigue and/or with a greater power output. Drinking green tea in its natural form provides the body with both caffeine and antioxidant properties. Plus, the consumer controls how much to consume with the body’s intuitive response to the beverage.

Why Eat Whole Foods?
Kory suggests eating whole foods consistently over time to optimize performance and recovery.  DeAngelo agrees. “When we consistently eat whole foods as the basis for our diet,” she says, “the nutrient density helps to decrease inflammation and can help us recover faster. When we eat a well-balanced whole-foods diet, we maintain better energy levels, which helps with endurance.”
The key is to eat clean and incorporate as much variety as possible. In part two of this series, we’ll further examine whole food research that benefits the human body for exercise pursuits.

References
Bailey et al. (2009). Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O₂ cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. Journal of Applied Sciences, 4, 1144-1155. 
Black et al. (2010). Ginger reduces muscle pain caused by eccentric exercise. The Journal of Pain, 11, 9, 894-903.
Ji, S. (2015). Beet juice boosts cognitive function in one dose. Green Med Info.
Matsumura et al. (2015). The effects of pre-exercise ginger supplementation on muscle damage and delayed onset muscle soreness. Phytotherapy Research, 29, 6, 887-893.
Rietschier, H.L. (2001). Sun-dried raisins are a cost-effective alternative to sports jelly beans in prolonged cycling. Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 25, 11. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
Saat, M. et al. (2002). Rehydration after exercise with fresh young coconut water, carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage and plain water. Journal of Physiological and Anthropology and Applied Human Sciences, 21, 2, 93-104.

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5 Must-Try Green Smoothie Recipes

“What’s the one thing I should be eating to improve my health?” As registered dietitians, this is one of the most common questions we hear. Our answer? The title of our most recent book, The Nutrition Twins Veggie Cure, says it all. Yes, veggies! Greens, specifically, are the number one food you can eat regularly to improve your health.
From arugula and Swiss chard to romaine and spinach, leafy vegetables are a great source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that protect against heart disease, diabetes and cancer. They prevent damage from free radicals, stopping chronic inflammation and the associated diseases in their tracks, as well as cell deterioration and the age-related decline that comes with it. Plus, they help to keep skin youthful and radiant thanks to their collagen-promoting vitamin C and their vitamin A/beta-carotene content, which also aids in the inflammation battle and calms the redness surrounding a skin flare-up. And greens assist your liver in its detoxification process—so if you’ve had a couple cocktails, a few too many refined foods or been in a smoky room, these are the foods to help “undo” the damage. In fact, greens like kale and bok choy are two of the few foods that actually assist the liver in both phases of its detoxification process, so they’re superstars when it comes to ridding the body of toxins.
If salads are feeling so 2014 for you, there’s a new way to get your greens and reap all these benefits (and it’s a lot more appealing than a mound of steamed greens on the side of your plate). It’s easy, delicious and even breakfast-friendly—it’s a green smoothie. After all, many greens become undetectable when combined in a smoothie and they take just seconds to transform. And what better way to start your day than with a simple, nourishing breakfast that packs in greens? Here are some pointers for making the most of your smoothies and easy, at-home ways to get your nutrients.
Create your own green smoothie by following these green-smoothie basics. (If you simply want to try a green smoothie recipe that’s tried, true and delicious, make one of the recipes below by blending the ingredients together.)

1. Start with your greens: Typically a few large fistfuls (about 2 cups) will do the trick. Spinach is one the mildest greens and is hardly detectable, but all greens, including kale, romaine and even parsley and mint are fantastic additions. Try a variety of greens and see what you like best.
2. Add some fruit: Fruits add natural sweetness, fiber and phytonutrients for even more of a beneficial boost to your morning. We prefer to add frozen fruits because they make the smoothie more refreshing and “dessert-like.” One half of an overripe banana is a great addition and adds sweetness—frozen berries are great, too. Frozen pineapple chunks can add a lot of sweetness with just a few pieces, but most fruits work well. The key is to keep the fruit portions in check (about half the portion or less, compared to the green) to keep the calories from getting too high.
3. Add your protein/“satiety factor”: Think Greek yogurt, nuts or nut butters, hemp seeds or a scoop of protein powder. One to 2 tablespoons of a nut or seed adds nutrients and healthy fat—but stick to just that portion (about six to eight nuts), as the calories from nuts add up quickly and could cause your smoothie to contain a lot more calories than you bargained for. (Note: If you skip the protein, you’ll need to eat a source of protein with your smoothie to keep you satiated and your energy levels up.) 
4. Add liquid: Add anywhere from 1/2 to 1 cup of either water, unsweetened nut milk or coconut water to make your smoothie. Unsweetened vanilla almond milk adds a nice flavor boost.

Green Smoothie Recipes to Get You Started

Kale Recharge and Detox Smoothie

This light and refreshing smoothie packs a nutrient punch with carrots, kale and spinach. Ginger helps to soothe the stomach while also assisting in fighting inflammation, and the lime adds immune-boosting vitamin C.

Skinny Green Smoothie

Cool, sweet and refreshing, this smoothie is potassium-packed and ultra-hydrating thanks to spinach, cucumber, orange juice, lime, pineapple and coconut water. This combination helps to quickly flush bloat by keeping you hydrated.

Healthy Green Smoothie

Sweet and fruity, the peach and apple complement the spinach and vanilla soymilk, making it a great way to squeeze in those greens in the morning (or for a snack)—all for just 73 calories. Again, eat a lean source of protein with it to make it more satisfying and to round out the meal.

Avocado and Apple Green Smoothie

The good-for-you monounsaturated fat in the avocado boosts the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins beta carotene, vitamin E and antioxidants from the green tea and apple, as well as the avocado.

Detoxifying Green Tea Smoothie

Rich in water and potassium, this smoothie helps flush sodium and restore normal fluid balance. The sulforaphane, a phytochemical found in the kale and chard, helps the liver to flush out harmful toxins, while the phytonutrients in the green tea, fruits and vegetables stave off damage from invading particles.

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5 Tips for Detoxing

Have you or your clients overdone it with indulgences lately and looking to get back on track? At this time, the last thing you want is something high in calories and heavy; it will only dig you further into a hole. What you need is wholesome, nutrient-packed foods that help to bring an abrupt end to the symptoms and discomfort associated with overdoing it (bloating and constipation). What your body really needs are foods that are packed with anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants, potassium, water and fiber, but low in calories and sodium. These foods will immediately get your mind and body back on the healthy track as they hydrate you while flooding your body with nutrients to help to neutralize damaging particles and flushing out bloating culprits, like salt.
Follow these five tips:
1. Choose foods that are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These properties help to protect the body from damage caused by toxins created from overdoing it on less-than-healthy options, and assist in neutralizing toxins and preventing the inflammation and the damage they cause to your vessels. These foods actually help to revitalize cells. Think vegetables especially brightly colored ones, but all work—and the more the better! After all they are 80 to 90 percent water and provide potassium and fiber. Fruits, beans and fish also are good choices.
Anti-inflammatory/ Antioxidant-packed Recipes:
Fruited Harvest Salad: Light and refreshing, the persimmons, pears, lemons, arugula and pomegranates fight inflammation with their antioxidants and phytonutrients.
Colorful Detox Salad: Chockfull of vegetables that mop up free radical damage, this low-calorie salad is great for detoxifying and fighting inflammation.
Crispy Cran-Mango Brussels Sprouts: Brussels sprouts are superstars when it comes to fighting damage and inflammation. Cranberries and mangos are phytonutrient powerhouses too.
2. Choose water and potassium-rich foods that are low in sodium. This is an amazing combination that restores normal fluid balance and flushes out bloat and puffiness. Potassium helps to counterbalance sodium and getting fluid helps to flush out your system. Think  vegetables—all of them, especially green leafy veggies—and fruits.
Ginger and Carrot Slim-down Smoothie: Potassium-rich cantaloupe and apples round out the phytonutrient-rich ginger and carrots to make this an ideal beverage to restore normal fluid balance.
Slimming Raspberry-mint Detox Spritzer: Raspberries and lime make this a drink a potassium winner, and at only eight calories, you can drink it all day long and flush away bloat without the calories adding up.
Lemon Mint Detox Drink: Lemon, mint and ginger flood the body with potassium to flush bloat and restore normal hydration status.
3. Choose foods packed with fiber. These foods are automatically low in calories and fiber keeps you regular. After your body extracts nutrients from food, fiber helps to flush out the waste and toxins from your colon to give you a flat stomach. Think all vegetables, fruits and high-quality carbohydrates like oatmeal and quinoa.
Pinto Bean Grilled Cheese: Beans are ideal when it comes to boosting fiber; this sandwich makes a great fiber-rich lunch when paired with a salad and fruit.
Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili: With quinoa, black beans, kidney beans, peppers and tomatoes, this meal makes a great fiber-rich lunch or dinner to flush wastes out of the body.
Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding: With fiber powerhouses like pumpkin puree and chia seeds, this treat packs a whopping 17 grams of fiber. Plus, the pumpkin and chia are both great for fighting inflammation with their potent phytonutrients.
4. Include veggies that have especially powerful detox capabilities. Fennel, bok choy, beets and kale are standouts when it comes to detoxification. They are some of the few foods that play a role in both phases of liver detoxification. Try these recipes to get your fill:
Spiced Ginger Citrus Quinoa: (featuring fennel)
Beets with Feta and Walnuts
Detoxifying Green Tea Smoothie (featuring kale)
5. Sweat it out. Skin is the body’s largest organ, and sweating is a great way to help the body with its healthy, natural elimination process. Aim to sweat daily because this is one way your body eliminates metabolic breakdown products and excess salt.

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Juicing Recipes for Health: Top 10 Healthy Juice Recipes

I remember the first time I saw someone carrying around a Mason Jar around filled with a thick green looking substance.  Inside was a kale smoothie based off of a juicing recipe that was packed: fiber, vitamins, and all the different types of green fruits and vegetables imaginable. It was in a word, incredible.
There is no doubt that juicing has taken the health world by storm, and you can hardly go a day without seeing someone gulping down a glass full of liquid produce.  If you are looking to quench your thirst through juicing, let’s take a look at the top 10 juicing recipes for health that you can make yourself.

Classic Green Juice

This is a classic green juice recipe.  For some added zing, squeeze in a few drops of lemon, and feel free to omit the ginger if you would rather your juice not be spicy.

You will need:

• 1 green apple
• 1 inch knob ginger
• 5 large stalks celery
• 1 cucumber
• 1 large handful parsley
• 5 stalks kale

Pink Lady Juice

If you enjoy juices that are on the fruitier side, this recipe will work great for you.
You will need:

• 1 pear
• 1 beet
• 1 to 2 inches of ginger
• 1 ½ cups of pineapple cut up into chunks

Veggie Ginger Juice

For some spice action, this is a standard juice that mixes together different vegetables.  This recipe is a great juice for the cold months to warm up your body.
You will need:

• 3 large carrots
• 1 beet
• 1 green apple
• 4 large stalks of celery
• 1 large handful of spinach, parsley, or other dark green vegetable
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 inch of knob ginger

Total Health Booster

This juice will give you a gulp of vitamins (A, B, C, E) to fuels your entire body.  It is great for promoting strong bones and younger-looking skin.
You will need:

• 1 medium apple that is cored and cubed
• 2 medium soft pears (such as Bartlett) that is cored and cubed
• 1/2 cup of fresh cherries with pits removed (or frozen and thawed)

Steps:

1. In your blender, combine the apple, pears, and cherries and blend until smooth.
2. Strain the juice and thin with water, if desired.
3. Before you serve, garnish your Health Booster with fresh cherries.

Antioxidant Supreme

By now, most of us are aware of the power of antioxidants.  This juicing recipe is packed with berries that are bursting with potent anti-aging benefits.
You will need:

• 1 cup of fresh blueberries (or frozen)
• 1 cup of fresh strawberries, halved (or frozen)
• 2 cups of peeled and coarsely chopped mango
• 1/4 cup of water

Steps:

1. In a blender, combine all your fruit: blueberries, strawberries, and mango.
2. Add water and blend until smooth.
3. Strain juice and thin with water, if desired.
4. Garnish juice with sliced mango, blueberries, and strawberries before serving.

Energy Upper

Fruit is natural, and the sugars from natural fruit will give you an instant boost.  And with this juice, the electrolyte-loaded coconut water will help to keep you hydrated throughout the day.
You will need:

• 1 can of lychee in syrup, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of frozen and thawed sliced peaches
• 3/4 cups of coconut water (you may choose to use regular water if you do not have coconut water on hand)

Steps:

1. In a blender, combine your lychees, peaches, and coconut water.
2. Blend well and until smooth.
3. Strain the juice and thin with water, if desired.
4. Serve and enjoy.

Immunity Booster

If you are feeling a bit under the weather, this juicing recipe is a vitamin bomb that packs more vitamins than any pill, and will definitely help ward off seasonal colds or allergies.
You will need:

• 1 grapefruit that is peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 medium oranges to be peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 kiwis peeled and cut into chunks

Steps:

1. Combine your grapefruit, oranges, and kiwis into a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Strain juice and thin with water, if desired.
4. Serve and enjoy.

Post-Workout Refuel

If you workout, you are definitely doing what you need to in order to keep your body healthy and strong.  This juicing recipe incorporates protein-packed almonds that will help to build and repair your muscles.  Also, the potassium in the nuts and sweet potato will help to balance your electrolytes and fluids.
You will need:

• 2 medium oranges peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup of whole and raw almonds
• 1 small sweet potato that has been scrubbed and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium apple to be cored and cubed
• 1/2 cup of water

Steps:

1. In a blender, combine your oranges, almonds, sweet potato, apple, and water.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Strain juice and add water, if desired.
4. Serve and enjoy.

Detox Juice

For a full-body detox, this juicing recipe is one that is high in fiber with veggies and fruit that will help to keep things moving through your digestive tract.  It is also packed with ginger to naturally calm and soothe your stomach.
You will need:

1. 2 tablespoons of peeled and chopped fresh ginger
2. 1 medium beet that has been scrubbed and coarsely chopped
3. 4 medium carrots that are scrubbed and sliced
4. 1 medium apple to be cored and cubed
5. 1 cup of water

Steps:

• In a blender, combine your ginger, beet, carrots, apple, and water.
• Blend until smooth.
• Strain juice and add water, if desired.
• Serve and enjoy.

Summertime Mojito

This summertime juice is a virgin mojito that is fresh, simple, and delicious.
You will need:

• 1 cucumber
• 1 large pear
• 1 large handful of mint
• ½ of a lime

Drink Healthfully

Juicing is a great way to (literally) squeeze fruits and vegetables into your diet.  Especially if you typically do not eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, juicing gives you the opportunity to fuel and replenish your body with natural sugars and vitamins.

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5 Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Weight-loss Goals

People are always surprised when we tell them that, despite being registered dietitians nutritionists, January is not our busiest month, despite all of the New Year’s weight-loss and get-healthy resolutions. You may be surprised to learn that one of our busiest times is the beginning of February, when people realize they’re struggling to meet their goals on their own and they don’t know what they are doing wrong.
Here are five common weight-loss mistakes we see. Are you making any of them?

1. You skip meals.
Sure, you feel like you’ve got an edge on weight loss by cutting an entire meal’s worth of calories from your day. However, this backfires. Research shows that people who skip meals, particularly breakfast, are more likely to be overweight. In fact, they typically end up so overly hungry at their next meal that they can’t make a rationale decision to choose a healthy option—and what’s more, they give themselves the license to eat more than they should, justifying the extra because they ate less earlier in the day.
If a traditional meal won’t work for you, it’s O.K. to piece together a high-fiber food with a protein-rich food and count that lighter fare as your meal.Try a hardboiled egg and a piece of fruit or a banana with peanut butter.

2. You drink your calories.
You love your “bevvies”—a smoothie for a snack, Gatorade® while you work out, an afternoon latte, a few cocktails. Your brain doesn’t compensate for liquid calories by making you feel any less hungry, so you wind up overconsuming calories.
-Add calorie-free pizzazz to your water or seltzer by tossing in slices of limes, lemons, oranges, cucumbers and/or strawberries; the great flavor of these foods will seep into the water and add a refreshing twist.
-Stick to water during exercise if you aren’t working out intensely for more than 90 minutes.
-Tally up your liquid calories and swap them for food instead and drink water. Goodbye large glass of orange juice (and the 240 calories in it); hello glass of water and an orange (60 calories).

3. You eat too much sodium and think it doesn’t matter.
You don’t have high blood pressure and you sweat out salt when you exercise. But most of us consume two to three times more salt than we should. Salt increases hunger, thirst and cravings—and it makes your fat cells denser. Plus it makes you retain water and bloat—which means that, despite working hard to lose weight, you may weigh more after a salty meal due to water retention. This can make you feel discouraged and throw in the towel on your weight loss efforts. Instead, try this:
-Prepare foods yourself so that you can control the salt.
-Eat more fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, which are naturally low in sodium. Cut back on packaged foods, such as canned soup, lunch meat, frozen meals, flavored rice, dressings, sauces and snacks. The majority of the sodium we consume comes from processed and prepared foods
-Check labels for sodium content. Often simply switching between brands can save you hundreds of milligrams sodium.
-When dining out, ask that your food be prepared without salt and order sauces on the side. Chefs are experts with herbs and spices so your food will still taste great.
For more tips and easy tricks to reduce salt in your diet, check out our book The Secret to Skinny: How Salt Makes You Fat.

4. You skimp on veggies.
Roughly 80 percent of Americans do this. If you don’t get your servings of veggies (about 2.5 to 3.5 cups for most people), you’re likely falling short on fiber. Fiber slows the digestion of food and helps to keep you feeling full. Fiber prevents blood sugar spikes and crashes and the subsequent overeating by providing a gradual release of energy from food.
-Mix veggies into whatever you’re already eating. Toss them in pasta and soups, add them to pizza and omelets.
-Stack sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, peppers, mushrooms and sprouts.
-Wrap sandwich fillings with lettuce rather than bread. Or slice cucumbers and zucchinis length-wise and use in place of crackers and breads.
-Dip veggies in hummus for a snack.
For more suggestions and more than 100 recipes that include vegetables, please check out The Nutrition Twins Veggie Cure.

5. You don’t sweat the small stuff.
In most instances in life, not sweating the small stuff is ideal. However, it turns out those few extra candies from your co-workers desk, the extra pats of butter on your bread, the several bites of your kid’s food, or tastes of dessert really do accumulate. Research shows these “extras” often fall around several hundred calories and can prevent a healthy weight loss of 1 pound per week.
-Record what you eat and use an online program like my fitnesspal.com to see how quickly those little bites are accumulating.
-Try taking several fewer bites than usual at each meal. This will save roughly 200 to 300 calories a day, helping you to lose half a pound a week—that same half pound that can easily creep on with those same bites!

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Healthy Eating / Easy Tips for Planning a Healthy Diet and Sticking to It

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and stabilizing your mood. If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. But by using these simple tips, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to create a tasty, varied, and healthy diet.

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
• Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

  

Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.

Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.
Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries, or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. But what is moderation? In essence, it means eating only as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed. Moderation is also about balance. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
The goal of healthy eating is to develop a diet that you can maintain for life, not just a few weeks or months, or until you've hit your ideal weight. For most of us, that means eating less than we do now. More specifically, it means eating far less of the unhealthy stuff (refined sugar, saturated fat, for example) and replacing it with the healthy (such as fresh fruit and vegetables). But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories of chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your evening meal. If you're still hungry, fill up with an extra serving of fresh vegetables.

• Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. If the rest of your diet is healthy, eating a burger and fries once a week probably won’t have too much of a detrimental effect on your health. Eating junk food just once a month will have even less of an impact. As you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods, you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
• Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start small. If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, try adding more leafy green vegetables or rounding off the meal with fresh fruit. Visual cues can help with portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb.

Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

• Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
• Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of our food. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
• Avoid eating at night. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Early studies suggest that this simple dietary adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day—may help to regulate weight. After-dinner snacks tend to be high in fat and calories so are best avoided, anyway.

Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day.
Some great choices include:

• Greens. Branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options—all packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.
• Sweet vegetables. Naturally sweet vegetables—such as corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, and squash—add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets.
• Fruit. Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

The importance of getting vitamins from food—not pills

The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. And while advertisements abound for supplements promising to deliver the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables in pill or powder form, research suggests that it’s just not the same.
A daily regimen of nutritional supplements is not going to have the same impact of eating right. That’s because the benefits of fruits and vegetables don’t come from a single vitamin or an isolated antioxidant.
The health benefits of fruits and vegetables come from numerous vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals working together synergistically. They can’t be broken down into the sum of their parts or replicated in pill form.

Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

Tips for eating more healthy carbs

• Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
• Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran can be deceptive. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the U.S., Canada, and some other countries, check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain.
• Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat pasta don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.

Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood, and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

• Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
• Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

• Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
• Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

What is a healthy daily limit for saturated fat and trans fat?

Experts recommend you limit the amount of saturated fats you eat to less than 7 percent of total daily calories. That means, for example, if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 140 of them should come from saturated fats. That’s about 16 grams of saturated fat a day.
No more than 20 of those calories should come from trans fat. That’s less than 2 grams of trans fat a day.  Given the amount of naturally occurring trans fat you probably eat every day, this leaves virtually no room at all for industrially manufactured trans fat.
Source: American Heart Association

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. While too much protein can be harmful to people with kidney disease, the latest research suggests that most of us need more high-quality protein than the current dietary recommendations. It also suggests that we need more protein as we age to maintain physical function.

How much protein do you need?

Protein needs are based on weight rather than calorie intake.  Adults should eat at least 0.8g of protein per kilogram (2.2lb) of body weight per day. A higher intake may help to lower your risk for obesity, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.

• Older adults should aim for 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for each kilogram of weight. This translates to 68 to 102g of protein per day for a person weighing 150 lbs.
• Divide your protein intake among meals but aim for 25 to 40g of high-quality protein per meal; less than 15g won’t benefit bone or muscle.
• Get plenty of calcium (1,000 to 1,200 mg per day).

Source: Environmental Nutrition

The key to ensuring you eat high-quality protein is to try different types, rather than relying on red meat and whole milk dairy products which are high in saturated fat.  Trying different healthy protein sources such as fish, beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu, chicken, and soy products will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.

Good Sources of Protein *
The following is a sampling of high-protein foods—some may not be healthy to eat in anything but moderation. Most red meat is very high in fat, as are whole-milk cheeses and the skin on chicken or turkey. In the U.S., non-organic meat and poultry may also contain antibiotics and hormones. Aim for sufficient protein intake at each meal—including breakfast—in the leanest and healthiest form.
Food	Serving size	Protein grams	Sat. fat (g)	Calories
FISH
Canned tuna	3.5 oz (100g)	19	0.2	86
Salmon	3.5 oz (100g)	21	0.8	130
Halibut	3.5 oz (100g)	23	0.4	111
Fresh tuna	3.5 oz (100g)	30	1.6	184
POULTRY (skinless)
Turkey breast	3.5 oz (100g)	31	0.6	147
Chicken breast	3.5 oz (100g)	31	1	165
Chicken thigh	3.5 oz (100g)	25	2.3	179
Chicken leg	3.5 oz (100g)	24	2.1	174
MEAT
Pork chops	1 chop (145g)	39	5	286
Skirt steak	3.5 oz (100g)	27	4	205
Ground beef (70% lean)	3.5 oz (100g)	14	11	332
Leg of lamb	3.5 oz (100g)	26	6.9	258
Cured ham	3.5 oz (100g)	23	9	178
LEGUMES
Soy beans	1/3 cup (100g)	17	1.3	173
Kidney beans	1/3 cup (100g)	10	0	123
Black beans	1/3 cup (100g)	9	0.1	132
Baked beans (canned)	1/3 cup (100g)	5	0	94
Peas	1/3 cup (100g)	8	0	118
MILK & EGGS
Skim milk	1/2 cup (100g)	3.4	0	34
Soy milk	1/2 cup (100g)	3.3	0.2	54
Eggs	2 boiled (100g)	13	3.3	155
Egg white	3 eggs (100g)	11	0	52
CHEESE
Non-fat mozzarella	3.5 oz (100g)	32	0	141
Non-fat cottage cheese	3.5 oz (100g)	10	0	72
Low-fat cheddar	3.5 oz (100g)	24	4.3	173
Low-fat Swiss cheese	3.5 oz (100g)	28	3.3	179
NUTS & SEEDS
Peanuts	1/4 cup (28g)	7	2	164
Almonds	1/4 cup (28g)	6	1	167
Pistachios	1/4 cup (28g)	6	1	159
Sunflower seeds	1/4 cup (28g)	6	2	166
Flaxseed	1/4 cup (28g)	5	1	150
OTHER PROTEIN OPTIONS
Veggie burger	1 patty (100g)	23	2	219
Tofu	3.5 oz (100g)	7	0.3	55
High-protein cereal	1 cup (50g)	13	1	160
Greek yogurt (non-fat)	1/2 cup (100g)	10	0	59
Whey protein powder	1/3 cup (32g)	19	0.2	120
* Nutrition values are approximate only; significant variations occur according to brand, cut of meat, cooking method, etc.

Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones

Calcium is one of the key nutrients that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. It is an essential building block for lifelong bone health in both men and women, as well as many other important functions.
You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body’s calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K—nutrients that help calcium do its job.
Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Try to get as much of your daily calcium needs from food as possible and use only low-dose calcium supplements to make up any shortfall.

Good sources of calcium include:

• Dairy: Dairy products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Vegetables and greens: Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms.
• Beans: For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans.

Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt

If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.

Sugar

Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips:

• Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
• Sweeten foods yourself. Buy unsweetened iced tea, plain yogurt, or unflavored oatmeal, for example, and add sweetener (or fruit) yourself. You’re likely to add far less sweetener than the manufacturer would have.
• Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth. Keep these foods handy instead of candy or cookies.

How sugar is hidden on food labels

Check food labels carefully. Sugar is often disguised using terms such as:

cane sugar or maple syrup corn sweetener or corn syrup honey or molasses brown rice syrup

crystallized or evaporated cane juice fruit juice concentrates, such as apple or pear maltodextrin (or dextrin) Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, or Sucrose

Salt

Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.

• Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.
• Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with sodium. Some offer lower-sodium choices or you can ask for your meal to be made without salt. Most gravy and sauces are loaded with salt, so ask for it to be served on the side.
• Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
• Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.
• Check labels and choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products, including breakfast cereals.
• Slowly reduce the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.

Healthy eating tip 10: Bulk up on fiber

Eating foods high in dietary fiber can help you stay regular, lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, and help you lose weight. Depending on your age and gender, nutrition experts recommend you eat at least 21 to 38 grams of fiber per day for optimal health. Many of us aren't eating half that amount.

• In general, the more natural and unprocessed the food, the higher it is in fiber.
• Good sources of fiber include whole grains, wheat cereals, barley, oatmeal, beans, nuts, vegetables such as carrots, celery, and tomatoes, and fruits such as apples, berries, citrus fruits, and pears—more good reasons to add more fruit and vegetables to your diet.
• There is no fiber in meat, dairy, or sugar. Refined or “white” foods, such as white bread, white rice, and pastries, have had all or most of their fiber removed.
• An easy way to add more fiber to your diet is to start your day with a whole grain cereal, such as Fiber-One or All-Bran, or by adding unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.

How fiber can help you lose weight

Since fiber stays in the stomach longer than other foods, the feeling of fullness will stay with you much longer, helping you eat less. Eating plenty of fiber can also move fat through your digestive system at a faster rate so that less of it can be absorbed. And when you fill up on high-fiber foods, you'll also have more energy for exercising.
To learn more, read: Fiber: The Essential Guide
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/healthy-eating.htm