As the weather begins to get warmer and you find yourself out and about more often, you may start thinking about getting healthy and preparing for the approaching (and often dreaded!) swimsuit season. Great news: pursuing a healthy eating plan promotes overall good health and has the added bonus of helping you fit into your favorite swimwear.
Julie Funk, registered dietitian and director of the Chester County Hospital’s Nutrition and Weight Management programs, was kind enough to speak with us to highlight her top five healthy eating tips for spring. With these small—and easy!—steps to get you started, you’ll find that your health-focused lifestyle will quickly become a reality.
Increase Plant-Based Foods
The number one tip for eating healthy this spring is to increase plant-based foods in your diet. Items such as fruits, vegetables and grains are great additions to a healthy diet and should be increased and added as often as possible.
“This coincides with the dietary guidelines, and scientific evidence also strongly supports this theory,” states Julie. Add an extra vegetable to your dinner plate in place of a starch, or grab an apple to take with you for an afternoon snack at work. In no time you’ll be upping your daily dose of plant-based foods.
Eat Less Sugar, Saturated Fat and Sodium
Another tip to make your diet healthier is to eat less sugar, saturated fat and sodium—what Julie refers to as “troublemakers in the diet.” This again is in line with recommended dietary guidelines and is strongly suggested for optimal health.
One way to avoid these three troublemakers is to stay clear of processed foods. When grocery shopping, stick to the outer perimeters of the store, where you’re more likely to find whole foods (see the first tip) rather than prepackaged, processed foods, which often contain shocking amounts of sugar, fat and sodium.
Enjoy Food Until Satisfied but Not Full
The mistake that many individuals make is to keep eating until they are overly full. The best method for pursuing a healthy diet that avoids excess calories is to enjoy your meal until you feel satisfied, but not full.
“Stop eating when you feel about 80% full and are not too full,” explains Julie. “This will help to control the calories you take in.” Chew slowly and really enjoy the flavors of your food. In the long run, you’re more likely to eat less if you savor more.
Go Meatless a Few Times a Week
It’s good to have proteins in your diet such as meat, but sometimes meat has other less-than-favorable qualities, including high levels of cholesterol and fat. For this reason, Julie advises going meatless a few times a week.
“There are other items you can eat to replace meat, such as legumes, or beans,” states Julie. “You need to consider the whole protein package—do you want saturated fat with your protein or healthy fiber, vitamins and minerals? That makes beans and soy products a great meat substitute.” Meals that you can prepare instead of meat dishes include bean chili and bean soups. Julie also recommends serving whole grain pasta with vegetables and beans as an option.
Drink Water Instead of Sugary Beverages
Another easy way to pursue a healthy diet this spring, and all year long, is to drink water instead of sugary beverages. Not only will water keep you hydrated, but it will also replace those high-calorie, sugar-filled beverages that are often a part of one’s drinking routine.
Julie recommends about 8 glasses of water and other fluids per day, and to always drink when you are thirsty. That means your fluid levels are low!
This message brought to you by Chester County Hospital. Part of Penn Medicine, Chester County Hospital has been dedicated to the health and well-being of the people in Chester County and surrounding areas for nearly 125 years.
- Julie Funk photo: Chester County Hospital
- Fruits and veggie photo: picjumbo
- Water glass photo: tookapic
