Getting healthier can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Where do you start and how do you make sure you are having a healthy relationship with food?
MercyOne registered dietitian Haley Strait says whether you live a sedentary, leisure or active lifestyle, your ideal weight will be different from everyone else.
“That can be really difficult for a lot of young adults to understand because they are influenced by so much around them: their peers, social media and cultural norms,” says Strait. “So, when it comes down to you as an individual, it’s really important to look at your overall health instead of just your weight.”
When looking to lose weight, you want to make sure you’re not causing more harm. Quick weight loss that occurs from drastically reducing your caloric intake or using laxatives is not sustainable and can have harmful effects on the body including muscle loss, hair loss or menstrual irregularities.
“That initial weight loss most of the time is not fat like we want it to be. Instead, it’s muscle and water,” said Strait.
Not getting enough nutrition may also cause problems for you like disruptions in your energy level, mood, electrolytes, sleeping patterns, your relationship with food and your ability to regulate your body temperature.
“If you are starving yourself or skipping meals you might start to obsess over food and feel out of control which in turn can create bad habits,” said Strait.
Strait recommends focusing on adding colorful foods in your diet with fruits and vegetables. The more nutrients you get, the better your body can grow and develop.
“The most common nutrient deficiency in children is iron,” said Strait. “We can get that from fortified cereals, baked beans, chickpeas, white rice, soy milk or nuts. Iron is especially important for girls because they can lose some iron during menstruation.”
Meal prepping
One way to help create a healthy relationship with food is to prep your food every week. Meal prepping is a game changer for your health if done properly. Strait says it can make your week easier if you are busy and helps prevent you from buying fast food or convenience store choices which can be filled with sodium and saturated fats.
“Meal prepping can seem overwhelming,” says Strait. “There are a lot of different ways to do that. To start, find out what ingredients you have on hand already and think of some meals you can make before going to the store. It can help you from wasting food.”
Next find out how much time you have for the week. You can meal prep using two different styles — full meal prep or buffet style meal prep:
- Full meal prep is where you create an entire meal and store the leftovers in proper portion sized in individual containers to have throughout the week. This is likely the most strategic but more time consuming.
- Buffet style is where you prepare a few items to store in your fridge to then toss together when you are ready to make a meal.
Foods for meal prepping
- Protein (animal or plant based)
- Animal based: lean chicken, turkey, beef or pork, eggs, cottage cheese, milk or fish
- Plant based: beans, peanut butter, tofu, soy milk
- Carbohydrates
- Rice, quinoa, potatoes, pasta, bread, cereal or fruits and vegetables
- Fat
- Peanut butter, nuts, avocados, or cook with oils such as extra virgin olive oil
It’s also important to remember not to restrict your food too much. Doing so can backfire, causing you to want more and binge when you finally get to eat it.
“Food is to be enjoyed, not something to be obsessed over or worried about all the time. Having room for flexibility is important and necessary,” says Strait.
Learn more about healthy eating tips including meal prepping, nutrition and supplements.