As a dietitian, I stress to clients that they don’t have to give up any food group. Foods shouldn’t be ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ With that being said, we should choose foods that give us energy and nourishment and limit foods that are highly processed. The ultimate goal is to find foods that taste good AND provide nourishment.
My goals for clients is to 1) Eat lots of whole, real foods — veggies, fruit, whole grains, animal and plant-based protein, nuts, seeds, and oils. 2) Eat as close to nature as possible — minimally processed, not packaged, or originating from a factory. 3) Cook at home and find fresh ingredients. 4) Forget about #cheatdays, indulging sometimes is 100% part of eating in a healthful way.
To have a healthy, balanced diet, people should try to:
- eat 5 A Day of fruits and/or vegetables
- eat more plant based meals and less red meat
- choose whole grains such as rice, quinoa, whole grain bread, and ancient grains
- have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy or nut drinks)
- eat some beans, tofu, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
- choose unsaturated oils and spreads, eaten in small amounts
- drink plenty of fluids
- If you’re having foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in small amounts
- Try to choose a variety of different foods from the 5 main food groups
Most people in the US eat and drink too many calories, too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish or fiber and I am here to help you make the best choices for your fitness journey. It’s all about creating a healthy lifestyle! If you have any questions and/or need some guidance, I would love to hear from you!
Cheers to good health,
Courtney
