How to Jumpstart Healthy Eating Habits in 2016

The holidays are almost over, and recipes dripping with butter and sugar will soon go back into storage until next year.

Many of us are vowing to eat less and exercise more. The 10 suggestions in this article take the best of all of my articles this year and summarize for you, the advice they contained on building a balanced diet, healthy lifestyle, and leading a more joyful life.

Rather than worry about how much you weigh or how many steps your fit-bit is charting, think about how to construct a good-for-you and fun approach to food and eating as a part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

Although increased exercise and eating fewer rich, celebratory foods is good advice for most people, please don’t start any “diet” or make any changes in your eating or exercise habits without first consulting your physician.

1. Learn more about what healthy eating will mean for you in particular (considering your habits, likes, allergies, medical conditions. Any project needs a good research foundation. (My personal approach to life) I found these U.S. government websites helpful in tweaking my own

eating habits.

▪ http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ Use this site to get yourself to start thinking about what goes on your plate, in your cup or in your bowl

▪ www.nutrition.gov/ This site is sort of academic in language but offers many interesting articleson what is in food and supplements. A similar tool is https://www.usa.gov/food-and-nutrition

2. Healthy eating starts at the grocery store. Purchase the best, freshest, least processed foods (local if possible) that you can afford. Especially avoid foods that have been treated with chemicals. Avoid GMOs and foods that were grown or processed in countries where health practices are suspect. When you purchase something that comes in a box or can, read the label carefully. Processed foods (even bread!) contain chemicals and are often overloaded with sugars and salts! We switched brands of rye bread when we realized one had almost twice as much sugar in it than the other brand! Real food, lightly seasoned or not seasoned at all (except for a small amount of salt) tastes better than processed and because you will savor those flavors, you can eat less to satisfy your desire for their taste. When you cannot buy fresh fruits or vegetables, try fresh frozen as a first alternate.

3. Add more variety to your diet. Think of the rainbow. Eat a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables. Do you tend toward red meats when it comes to protein? Consciously vary your choices to poultry, fish, eggs, and soy and legumes as protein sources. For those items that show up again and again on your plate, use herbs and spices, expand and excite your palate by expanding your palate of seasonings.

I like to think of things in terms of the Italian flag colors—red, white and green. Chicken and peppers, using both the red and green peppers fits this model. I have applied this principle to baked fish, adding green peppers to tomato sauce, and to stuffing peppers both green and red. I like to try new recipes. Eggplant with garlic, basil and parsley has been a staple of mine for many years. Recently I expanded to grilled eggplant flavored with cumin and served with a yogurt dill sauce. Something as simple as white beans with canned tuna and bit of parsley, red onion, olive oil and perhaps basil also fits this model and, like the carrot and chickpeas below, is something easily composed from what you probably have on hand in the pantry and refrigerator.

Good eating does not have to be expensive. Unless you have a particular diet-related condition or allergy, you do not need to eliminate anything. Just choose smaller portions and have the high calorie content items less frequently.

Food is often a comfort and or a cultural mainstay. I love cookies, but eat them rarely now. I still enjoy my pasta, but now eat it in smaller portions (see point two on scales). For instance, if you want to reduce carbs, reduce simple carbs first (e.g. brown rice instead of white, whole wheat bread instead of white. If you deprive yourself completely of a beloved food item, you run the risk of binging on it and or giving up all of your healthy resolutions because you think they are making your unhappy. .) For me, nothing can replace high quality pasta, So, I eat less of it in general and less each time, but enjoy it more.

4. Think vegetarian at least once a week. I will not be turning into a full vegetarian any time soon, but we eat at least one (often two or three) vegetarian meals a week. This approach is a part of the Mediterranean diet espoused repeatedly by the Real Food, Slow Food, groups and many of the cookbook authors reviewed over the past year. Ask the produce man at the market, “What is in season?” These plant-based meals give digestive systems a break and are high in fiber as well.

I admit that my fave kitchen gadget, the spiralizer, has helped me invent new recipes to make our vegetarian meals exciting. I make zucchini “noodles” and serve them with a pesto sauce as a side dish or mike with real pasta noodles (half and half) to make a lighter meal.

One of our family vegetarian standbys are carrot and chickpea curry, re-invented with a dollop of yogurt on top (and sometimes a sprinkle of dill on top of the yogurt) are also things that you can use as go-to, in a hurry meals that rely on things that are probably already in your pantry and refrigerator. I always look for “new” versions and completely new recipes. Many of the cookbooks I reviewed this year have added new dished to our family’s table.

5. Buy a kitchen scale. Overeating anything, even healthy foods is not good. The place to weigh is in the kitchen. Bathroom weigh -ins will turn out better if you start weighing out your food into smaller, manageable portions when you cook. This will help you to live by what is considered the golden rule of healthy eating — moderation in all things. My best use is weighing out portions of pasta so that we do not overeat.

6. When eating out, think carefully before you order and ask questions. What is in this? Can I have the dressing on the side? Order grilled, baked or broiled, Avoid fried foods. Often this can save lots of calories. You can enjoy a dab of the sauce or dressing instead of being drowned in the calories in the chef’s delightful creation.

7. Exercise. Get out into the fresh air and sunshine if you can. They affect your mood and are good for your body as well. Walk when you normally would have an afternoon snack. My father used to say that the best exercise was simply to push away from the table. Walking is a good addition to that. Again, before you take on any additional exercise, ask your physician.

8. Develop and maintain a good attitude and regular sleep habits. Yes, your mental attitude and sleep are both important factors for your overall health. Forgive others. Be thankful for what you have.

9. Think positive thoughts. Try to do something for others. Since this is a food column, may I suggest, contributing to a local food bank—sending money, giving canned goods and perhaps volunteering as well. Various sleep experts tout the value of going to bed and waking up at the same time daily. Boring but effective.

10. Make eating is a social act. If you do not have family nearby, invite friends in to eat with you as often as you can. Practice hospitality. After all, enjoying friends and family is not something just for the holidays. Loving others is something we can practice all year long.

This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "How to Jumpstart Healthy Eating Habits in 2016."