How to Develop Healthy Eating Habits
Talk to your doctor., Talk to a registered dietitian., Start a food journal., Write yourself a plan., Buddy up.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Talk to your doctor.
Make an appointment to consult with your doctor prior to making any lifestyle, exercise or dietary changes.
She will be able to tell you what's appropriate and safe for your specific health conditions.
Explain that you're interested in cleaning up your diet and eating better.
Provide some information about why you're making these changes and what you hope to achieve.
Also ask your doctor if she has any suggestions for you.
Many times if you are on certain medications, have a certain health condition or need to lose weight, your doctor may be able to give you a few tips to help you get started. -
Step 2: Talk to a registered dietitian.
These health professionals are licensed nutrition experts and can really be a great resource when you're trying to develop healthy eating habits.
This area is their specialty.
Ask your doctor for a referral to a local dietitian or someone she works with.
You can also do an online search for a dietitian in your area.
Talk to your dietitian about your goal for improving your eating habits and what you hope to achieve with better habits.
Ask him about other changes they think would be helpful to you.
He or she may be able to suggest additional changes outside of the ones you've thought of. , Prior to overhauling your diet and eating habits, it's a good idea to journal about where you currently are with your diet.
Journaling is a great place to start because it gives you an insight into where your starting point is.
It makes you realize your strengths and makes you aware of your weaknesses.
A journal can also help you keep yourself accountable as you develop new, healthy eating habits.
Keep track of all your food and beverages for at least one week.
Try to be as accurate as you can when you're tracking your food.
Even a few bites while you prepare meals should be accounted for.
Don't forget to track how many ounces of clear, hydrating fluids you drink.
This is an area that's also an important part of healthy eating.
After you've kept your journal for a few days, star or highlight areas where you think you could make changes.
For example, you might notice you don't drink enough water or typically skip breakfast.
These are great areas where you can make healthy changes. , Using your journal and doctor's advice, make a plan for your new healthy eating habits.
This "to-do list" will help you set yourself up for success long-term.It might be helpful to start by writing a list of all the small changes you'd like to make to your diet and eating patterns.
Number or list your changes in order of when you're going to tackle each of them.
It's best to just choose one to two changes to make at a time.
Trying to overhaul your diet all at once can be difficult and hard to sustain long-term.Schedule or write in your calendar which changes you'll be making each week or few weeks.
Keep track of how successful or unsuccessful you after each change. , When you're trying to make lifestyle changes, it can be beneficial to find a friend, family member or other support system to help you.
Many people are more successful when they are supported through their changes.Talk to your friends, family members or coworkers about your plan for improving your diet.
Ask if anyone would like to join you.
Together, you may be able to collaborate on different healthy eating ideas, recipes or ideas when the going gets tough.
You can also sign up for online support groups or forums where others are also trying to improve their eating habits. -
Step 3: Start a food journal.
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Step 4: Write yourself a plan.
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Step 5: Buddy up.
Detailed Guide
Make an appointment to consult with your doctor prior to making any lifestyle, exercise or dietary changes.
She will be able to tell you what's appropriate and safe for your specific health conditions.
Explain that you're interested in cleaning up your diet and eating better.
Provide some information about why you're making these changes and what you hope to achieve.
Also ask your doctor if she has any suggestions for you.
Many times if you are on certain medications, have a certain health condition or need to lose weight, your doctor may be able to give you a few tips to help you get started.
These health professionals are licensed nutrition experts and can really be a great resource when you're trying to develop healthy eating habits.
This area is their specialty.
Ask your doctor for a referral to a local dietitian or someone she works with.
You can also do an online search for a dietitian in your area.
Talk to your dietitian about your goal for improving your eating habits and what you hope to achieve with better habits.
Ask him about other changes they think would be helpful to you.
He or she may be able to suggest additional changes outside of the ones you've thought of. , Prior to overhauling your diet and eating habits, it's a good idea to journal about where you currently are with your diet.
Journaling is a great place to start because it gives you an insight into where your starting point is.
It makes you realize your strengths and makes you aware of your weaknesses.
A journal can also help you keep yourself accountable as you develop new, healthy eating habits.
Keep track of all your food and beverages for at least one week.
Try to be as accurate as you can when you're tracking your food.
Even a few bites while you prepare meals should be accounted for.
Don't forget to track how many ounces of clear, hydrating fluids you drink.
This is an area that's also an important part of healthy eating.
After you've kept your journal for a few days, star or highlight areas where you think you could make changes.
For example, you might notice you don't drink enough water or typically skip breakfast.
These are great areas where you can make healthy changes. , Using your journal and doctor's advice, make a plan for your new healthy eating habits.
This "to-do list" will help you set yourself up for success long-term.It might be helpful to start by writing a list of all the small changes you'd like to make to your diet and eating patterns.
Number or list your changes in order of when you're going to tackle each of them.
It's best to just choose one to two changes to make at a time.
Trying to overhaul your diet all at once can be difficult and hard to sustain long-term.Schedule or write in your calendar which changes you'll be making each week or few weeks.
Keep track of how successful or unsuccessful you after each change. , When you're trying to make lifestyle changes, it can be beneficial to find a friend, family member or other support system to help you.
Many people are more successful when they are supported through their changes.Talk to your friends, family members or coworkers about your plan for improving your diet.
Ask if anyone would like to join you.
Together, you may be able to collaborate on different healthy eating ideas, recipes or ideas when the going gets tough.
You can also sign up for online support groups or forums where others are also trying to improve their eating habits.
About the Author
Olivia Russell
Experienced content creator specializing in hobbies guides and tutorials.
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