Healthy changes in eating habits key to success

  • Published
  • By Cindy Mulcahy
  • 90th Medical Operations Squadron
F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. --  "I need to have a better diet." 

"I need to eat healthier." 

"I want to start eating better." 

"I am going to start watching what I eat." 

These are common statements people make when they are ready to change their weight or want to change their behaviors to support a healthier lifestyle. 

Many times, the changes needed to achieve the new lifestyle become overwhelming with too many changes at the same time. In the case of changing eating habits, some simple steps will make a lifelong change easier to achieve. 

Adopting a fad diet is not the way to achieve a lifestyle change. The lure of quick and easy weight loss is hard to resist, and that's especially true for those who struggle to make changes that will improve their health. The reality is no "super food" or diet approach can reverse weight gain from overeating or inactivity. Because most fad diets don't teach new eating habits and many require people to give up favorite foods, people usually don't stick to them. 

March is National Nutrition Month and an excellent time for everyone to think about their current eating habits and decide if a change is needed. The first step in making any change is to identify where change is needed. Areas can include skipped meals, high calorie snacks, over consumption of high calorie foods, limited intake of fruits and vegetables, alcohol consumption and high protein consumption. Keeping a food diary of current eating habits will help identify problem areas. Once you have identified one or several areas that need to be addressed, start with the most measurable change and stick with one change at a time. 

The American Dietetic Association encourages everyone to keep in mind that consuming a variety of foods in the right amounts, eating regularly and matching how much one eats with their activity level will help with managing weight. There is no need to ban any foods from a meal plan, but it's important to limit the amounts or how often the meals are consumed. The best path to healthy fitness is to be 100 percent fad free.
For more information, call the health and wellness center at 773-4292.