7 habits for a long and healthy life

Minor but lasting changes

As a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, I have been teaching clients how to adopt better habits to live healthier lives for almost three decades.

While eating well and exercising regularly are key parts of a healthy lifestyle, managing stress, getting enough sleep, and nurturing meaningful relationships are just as important.

Many people think that living a healthy lifestyle takes a lot of work and takes time. Not the case.

The key to creating good habits is to focus on small, achievable changes that you constantly stick to so that they become part of your daily routine. For example, this study found that small dietary changes can help people be healthier. Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that while eating a hot dog can cost you 36 healthy minutes of life, enjoying a serving of nuts instead can help you gain an additional 26 minutes of life.

Here are seven of my habits to adopt for a healthier life.

1. Get to know yourself.

It’s important to know yourself and recognize what works – and what doesn’t – for you. I have counseled many different types of clients over the years, and they have different routines and preferences.

Some customers like to eat a bigger breakfast, while others are in a rush in the morning and just have yogurt and a piece of fruit. Some like to exercise outside (like me), while others prefer to work out in a gym.

Take the time to think about what you like and what works for you. It will be much easier to make small changes that you can stick with for the long haul.

2. Keep healthy foods on hand.

The foods you keep in your home are the foods you will eat, even if you think otherwise. By far the easiest way to eat better is to keep healthy foods in your home. Keep the fridge and pantry stocked with an assortment of fresh and frozen items, oats and other whole grains, nuts and nut butters, beans, yogurt, fish and chicken.

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Including simple on-the-go foods like hummus, baby carrots, berries, nuts, and air-popped popcorn will also help you nibble on healthy snacks.

And the adage “out of sight, out of mind” rings true. If you want to keep cookies and cakes every now and then in your house, put them away so that they are less tempting.

3. Eat a colorful salad every day.

Eating salads is a great way to get a variety of nutrients without too many calories. Different colors of vegetables confer different nutrients, so it is best to choose a colorful variety.

Stock up on the products you love, you are spoiled for choice. Some of the best choices include romaine lettuce, kale or spinach topped with a colorful assortment of tomatoes, carrots, red peppers, beets, mushrooms and cucumbers.

If you don’t like salads or aren’t in the mood, another way to get your veg is to enjoy some veggie-based soup or eat your favorite grilled or lightly sautéed veggies. You will still get the healthy nutrients, including antioxidant vitamins A and C, vitamin K, folate, potassium, and fiber.

4. Find a movement that makes you feel good.

I am often asked “what is the best exercise to do?” “

My answer is the one you love and always will. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

– Do I prefer to exercise in the morning or in the evening?

– Outdoors or in a gym?

– Solo or in class?

Find out what works for you. I love to swim and take yoga classes while cycling outdoors in nature. It’s quite rare to have me work out on a stationary bike because I don’t like it.

Be consistent and try to incorporate some sort of movement most of the time. It is better to exercise regularly for 30 minutes a day than to work out for 2 hours on the weekends.

And lifestyle activities like climbing the stairs, walking your dog, and parking a few blocks from your destination and walking also count. It’s a good idea to plan your fitness program instead of leaving it to chance. Put it on your calendar.

Regular exercise helps control your weight while helping to improve your mood, improve sleep, and reduce stress.

5. Cook some of your meals at home.

I love to eat out, but I also love to cook and prepare my own meals at home. Research shows that restaurant foods are higher in calories, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium, which can contribute to obesity and also negatively impact your health. This is not surprising as my research has found that restaurant portions are oversized, often two to five times larger than they were in the past.

Cooking your meals at home helps you control your portion sizes and allows you to be in control of what goes into the food you cook. When I cook at home, I try to cook with lots of fresh vegetables, beans, whole grains, and healthy oils. I keep my salads colorful and add flavor by garnishing them with avocado, roasted chickpeas, water chestnuts and a house dressing.

6. Pay attention to your portions.

While you don’t have to weigh and measure everything you eat, I recommend that you be aware of How many you are eating.

It’s easy to overeat without even realizing it. For example, when pouring cereal, many people pour three cups into a bowl instead of the recommended cup. And while you can enjoy a healthy, low-sugar whole-grain cereal, if your serving is too big, you’ll end up consuming too many calories.

One of the easiest ways to practice portion control is to consciously eat and pay attention to your hunger level. Tap into your inner wisdom, and if you feel like having a double serving, ask yourself if you’re hungry or bored.

Another simple trick that I talked about in my book “Finally Full, Finally Slim” is to practice plate therapy. While we often fill our plate with a large chunk of meat, a large serving of rice or mashed potatoes, and a single floret of broccoli, instead fill half your plate with mixed veg, a quarter of starch. healthy like sweet potatoes or quinoa and the other quarter healthy protein like fish, chicken, beans or tofu.

7. Be positive.

Instead of focusing on what you shouldn’t eat, focus on the foods you can enjoy instead. I tell my customers that no restaurant or food is completely off limits. You can usually find something healthy to eat on a restaurant menu.

And, by having positive thoughts, in general, while being grateful for the good in your life, you will also be healthier and happier.

So while counting your steps, also count your blessings.

7 habits for a long and healthy life:

– Get to know yourself.

– Keep healthy foods on hand.

– Eat a colorful salad every day.

– Find a movement that makes you feel good.

– Cook some of your meals at home.

– Pay attention to your portions.

– Be positive.

Lisa R. Young, PhD, RDN, CDN is an internationally renowned nutritionist and portion control expert. With over three decades of experience, she is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at New York University, an author, international speaker and media consultant. As a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice, Young advises adults and children on a wide variety of nutrition and health issues, lectures internationally, and serves as a consultant and nutrition advisor to businesses and health services.

One of the foremost experts on portion size, Young is the author of “Finally full, finally thin” and “The plan of the portion dispenser. “ She is also the author of numerous peer-reviewed research articles on portion size and has served as an advisor to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on their various portion control initiatives. Major media outlets, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, CNN, FOX, NBC, ABC, and CBS, routinely call on Young as an expert on nutrition, wellness and human control. portions. Dr Young is also on the medical advisory board of Eat This, Not That! She appeared in the award-winning documentary “Super size me. “

Young received his doctorate in nutrition from New York University and his bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. The Israel Cancer Research Fund named Young a “Woman of Action”.