Now that the eggnog has
settled into your thighs and your belly is bulging with
stuffing, the time is ripe for the annual pledge to eat more
healthfully in the coming year — but this time, you're
sticking with it.
Sarah Krieger, a personal chef and dietitian
in Tampa, Fla., and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic
Association, offered five easy resolutions for healthful
eating in 2010.
1. Make it a habit to buy fruits and
vegetables every time you go to the grocery store. Variety is
important: If you typically eat apples and green salads, work
in some citrus, bananas and grapes. Fresh is best, but canned
and frozen also work as long as they don't contain added salt
and sugar.
2. Cook at home more often. When you eat
out, typically the portions are larger and you can't control
the ingredients. Keep your simplest and most frequently used
cookbooks near your grocery shopping list for easy access.
3. Lower your salt intake. Everyone should
consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, and
people with heart disease and other risk factors should get
less than 1,500 milligrams. Check nutrition labels. Some
foods, such as breakfast cereals, are surprisingly
sodium-heavy.
4. Eat something with protein and fiber
within an hour of waking up in the morning to help jump-start
your metabolism. Try a hard-cooked egg and a glass of milk,
grab an apple or granola bar on your way out the door.
Krieger's favorite: a banana with peanut butter.
5. Experiment with natural flavor boosters
so that you don't depend so much on packaged foods. Grow fresh
herbs on your window sill and add them to tomato sauce. Try
lemon, lime and orange zest in soups, salads and marinades.