Karen Repassy: Small dietary changes that lead to big results

by Karen Repassy | Active columnist

You made your New Year’s Resolution to make 2016 your year to eat healthy.  

Now, nearly two months into that resolution, you may be feeling disenchanted with the whole thing; you may even be ready to throw in the towel.   

You’re not alone. 

As Winter Garden Yoga’s nutritionist, I see this all the time. People have the best intentions in the world, but then reality hits, and you’re right back where you started. The biggest culprit of this disenchantment is making too many drastic changes too soon. 

With clients, we achieve long-term success by working together every step of the way while holding them accountable. Eventually, the changes implemented become their “new normal.” 

However, this strategy can be more difficult to implement on your own — especially if you do not have someone to hold you accountable. Because of this, I am going to share with you a simple strategy that gets results: Start with just one change.

When that change becomes a part of your natural routine, then add another — small — change. 

It may take a little longer to see big results, but for so many people, a step-by-step approach to transforming their eating means making changes that stick for life. 

Here are five simple steps to make lifetime changes to your eating habits. There’s one rule. Start from the beginning and don’t skip steps. Only when the first step has become a habit and part of your normal routine, move to the next step. 

1. Start with breakfast. 

Get consistent with a healthy breakfast. Focus on a lean protein, veggies and/or fruits, and healthy starches. This will leave you feeling satiated and give you optimal energy for the day. It also sets a solid foundation to make better choices throughout the day. If you start the day off feeling satiated and energized, you will be more likely to make better choices for the rest of the day. Some good options are a smoothie with a protein powder and handful of greens (like spinach), an omelet with veggies, or eggs with a little fruit and a slice of whole-grain toast. 

2. Clean up your snacks. 

The job of a snack is to be a buffer between meals to keep hunger and cravings at bay. If you have a healthy balanced snack between meals when you are hungry, you will feel more satiated and less likely to overeat for your next meal. Also, it will be easier to make healthier choices if you are not starving. Some healthy snacks (depending on food allergies) are nuts and/or seeds with berries, unsweetened nut butter with apple, celery with unsweetened peanut butter or a hard-boiled egg. 

3. Have a balanced lunch. 

Once your breakfast is solid and you are having snacks that leave you feeling satiated and energized, begin cleaning up your lunch.  Focus on a lean protein and lots of greens/vegetables and a healthy fat. A salad with vegetables, chicken breast, oil/vinegar dressing and a handful of nuts is a good easy choice to give you optimal energy and leave you feeling satiated through the afternoon. If you are short on time, a smoothie is a good option for lunch, too. 

4. Have a balanced dinner. 

Once the first part of your day is solid and a habit, begin cleaning up your dinner. Again, focus on a lean protein, lots of vegetables, a small amount of a healthy starch and a healthy fat. If you are short on time, a smoothie is a good option for dinner, too.

5. Eliminate refined sugar/artificial sweeteners from your diet. 

I have saved this one for last, because it is the hardest. However, if you are solid with steps 1 through 4, it will be easier to implement. If you are eating healthy and balanced for the day, it will keep hunger and cravings at bay and leave you feeling energized. We usually desire sugary food when we are tired or have cravings. If you do want to sweeten something, use Stevia or honey and pure maple syrup sparingly.  

Start off simple in the beginning with each step, and make sure it is easy for your lifestyle. For example, if you have to get up early in the morning and you are limited on time, making a veggie omelet may not work for you, but throwing together a smoothie will. Make sure recipes are simple and easy to implement.  

Once you find something that works, stick with it.  Changing your eating plan one step at a time can lead to long-term results. Get each step mastered and before you know it you will be eating healthy and balanced every day and feeling great.

Karen Repassy is a professional nutritionist and certified yoga instructor at Winter Garden Yoga, 12 W. Plant St., Winter Garden. She is certified in functional yoga instruction and metabolic-effect nutrition. For more, visit wintergardenyoga.com, call (407) 579-9889 or email [email protected].