10 healthy eating rules from a nutritionist

1. Load your plate with vegetables.

Even the USDA has abandoned the confusing food pyramid in favor of a
simpler “healthy plate” diagram. To build a healthy plate, fill half your plate
with vegetables — and, no, French fries don’t count! Choose “crunchy”
vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, and leafy
greens like kale and Swiss chard. On the other side of the plate, put whole
grains or legumes in one quarter and a serving of healthy, lean protein in
the other.

2. Eat a balanced breakfast.

You’ve heard it before, and it’s true: breakfast is the most important meal of
the day. Eating a healthy breakfast is absolutely crucial to help kickstart
metabolism, improve cognitive function, and help you make better food
choices throughout the day. The ideal meal includes protein, healthy fat,
and some complex carbohydrates (read more about PFC here).

3. Don’t starve yourself.

This strategy is not only unhealthy — it nearly always backfires. If you don’t
eat enough calories throughout the day, you’ll be more likely to overindulge
at night. When you focus your efforts all day on skimping on food, you set
yourself up for an eating binge later on. And instead of sitting down to a
healthy evening meal, you’re more likely to reward yourself for being so
“good” all day by reaching for a calorie-bomb like a pint of ice cream or
piece of cake.

4. Ask questions when you eat out.

Menus can be very deceiving, and even healthy-sounding entrées might be
loaded with butter or smothered in a heavy sauce. Don’t be afraid to take
control. Ask for details about how a dish is prepared, request sauces and
dressings on the side, and make sure the server knows that you’re looking
for a simple, healthy selection.

5. Have a plan when you hit the grocery store.

You know it’s a bad idea to go to the store when you’re hungry, but that’s
not the only key to smarter shopping. The biggest mistake people make is
not knowing what they need and, instead, browsing the aisles for
inspiration. That leads to buying more packaged foods and less fresh,
whole foods. Go in with a list based on recipes you intend to cook for the
week, and focus your shopping on the store’s perimeter, which is home to
the fresh produce, dairy, meat, and fish.

6. Cut down on processed foods.

Not all packaged or pre-made food is bad for you, but you’ll need to read
nutrition labels carefully in order to choose wisely. Ideally, you should
gravitate toward healthy options that make nutritious cooking easier, like
frozen vegetables and canned beans, and skip the meals in a box that are
loaded with preservatives, hidden sources of fat, and too much sugar and
sodium.

7. Limit your sodium and sugar.

Putting down the salt shaker and skipping sugar in your coffee is a step in
the right direction, but that’s not where most people get the majority of their
salt and sugar. Sodium and sugar are rampant in most packaged foods
from pasta sauce and mac and cheese to rice mixes and soups. Start by
checking the nutrition label on your breakfast cereal (some pack up to 20
grams of sugar per serving!).
Here’s a quick tip: Divide the amount of sugar in grams by 4 and you get
the number of teaspoons. Would you really pour 5 teaspoons of sugar into
your cereal bowl?

8. Don’t just count calories.

Not all calories are created equal. People eat those 100-calorie packs of
cookies or other snacks and focus on the fact that it’s only 100 calories, but
they don’t pay attention to what else they’re getting, especially in terms of
sugar and fat. The better approach: Focus on healthy, nutrient-dense
foods that are naturally low in calories and rich in essential vitamins,
minerals and fiber.

9. Switch to whole grains.

When it comes to carbohydrates, brown is better. Whole-grain foods (like
whole wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal) contain more nutrients and fiber
than their processed white cousins. Not only are these complex
carbohydrates healthier for you (higher fiber intake has been linked to
reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease), but they also help keep you
full longer. So instead of shunning carbs in an effort to lose weight, start by
swapping out the white ones for whole grains.

10. Enjoy your food.

This may sound obvious, but many people think that healthy eating and
enjoyment are mutually exclusive. Pretend you never heard the word
“diet.”‘ Instead, work toward a lifestyle built on healthy choices that are
going to work for the long-term. In order to achieve that goal, find nutritious
foods that you enjoy eating. Food should be something you relish and that
nourishes you. It’s not just fuel.