Eating well and taking care of yourself is 50 percent attitude, according to nutritionist Joy Bauer. With the right mindset, anyone can do it—and it's not an overwhelming task, she says. Joy talks to Dr. Oz about how to make the right choices for a healthier life.
People eat poorly because they're stuck in bad habits, Joy says. If they just started to eat better for a few days—incorporating more fruits, vegetables, high-quality carbohydrates and lean proteins into their diets—they would be amazed at how much better they would feel. "You're going to want to keep doing it," she says. "You have to make the commitment and jump in."
Joy shares her advice for some easy steps to healthier eating:
Watch out for weekends: We can stick to a routine during the week, but on weekends, it's easy let loose. Make a plan for your weekend eating, starting with Friday night. What are you going to eat for meals? What are you going to snack on? How will you make healthy choices at a restaurant or dinner party? If you maintain healthy habits over the weekend, you won't spend the beginning of your week making up for bad choices.
Create a safe kitchen for food: Purge your kitchen of your personal triggers, like cookies, ice cream or chips. Joy says she believes in a 90/10 rule of eating— 90 percent of your diet should be devoted to healthy foods, and 10 percent to fun foods. She says it's okay to have small indulgences that you love, because if you deny yourself everything, you won't be able to stick to the plan.
Eat every four to five hours: Continuously fuel your brain and body with a source of high-octane energy. Joy says you should eat breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack and a balanced dinner. If you find that you're hungry sooner, it's fine to eat, just moderate your total calories and make smart choices.
Combine high-quality carbohydrates with lean protein: When your meals couple vegetables and fruit with lean protein such as skinless chicken, turkey or egg whites, you'll maintain a steady, prolonged blood sugar level. Other good lean protein choices are lowfat or nonfat dairy foods, beans and lentils.
