Continuing this week with the theme of making small changes that can yield big results in self-care, let’s take a look at making small changes in eating habits.
Give up dieting! To say one is “going on a diet” always implies eventually going off of it. Begin thinking instead of “gradually changing eating habits”.
Start slowly! Avoid the yo-yo effect of weight loss and weight gain by making small changes one at a time. For example, if you need to cut back on fat intake and are drinking whole or 2% milk, begin by mixing the higher fat milk with skimmed. Over a period of two to three weeks gradually increase the proportion of skimmed until you reach 100% skimmed. You will never want to drink that fat again!
Track your goal. You can actually change behaviors simply by tracking them in a simple way. For example, if you know you are not eating enough fruits and vegetables, set a modest goal and track your progress. Begin by setting a goal of 5 servings per day. Using a small notebook or sticky pad, put your goal at the top of the page and make two columns – one for the date and one for checkmarks for each serving you eat. Remember to “KISS” your track system – Keep It Simple, Sweetheart!
Water yourself! We all know that most of us need to drink more water, but it might be easier to increase your water intake if you begin by considering what you are drinking instead. It is now well-established that a major contributor to the American obesity problem is the daily consumption of high sugar soft drinks. If you are drinking several sodas per day (diet or regular), it is a good idea to begin cutting back because you are almost certainly sacrificing water intake. Start by changing your thinking about sodas. Those of us over a certain age remember when sodas were considered a special treat reserved for cookouts and the July 4th picnic. I’m not necessarily suggesting that you need to cut back that drastically, but you will actually enjoy your sodas more if you have them less often. Thinking of soft drinks as a treat rather than a right heightens enjoyment and keeps them in their proper place. Sometimes less is more.
To make sure you are getting sufficient water (i.e., 8 glasses per day), simply track your goal by using the method above. Readers who live in Austin know we have terrific water. There is absolutely no need for most of us to add to our budgets, litter, and global warming by drinking bottled water except on rare occasions.
Eat more colors! Adding more of nature’s colors to your eating experience also adds good nutrients. If your foods tend to range from white to brown, you could use a bit more color in your life! Red and yellow peppers, carrots, red onions, dark leafy veggies, tomatoes, avocados, blueberries, strawberries, melons – there is so much color out there! Forget the guilt! Add the color because it makes eating more fun!
Monitor your alcohol intake. Are your drinking habits problematic? Check out this guide by the Center for Disease Control & Prevention to see how you measure up: one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. This is not an average but the recommended limit per day. CDC defines a standard drink as equal to 13.7 grams of pure alcohol or:
- 12-ounces of beer.
- 8-ounces of malt liquor.
- 5-ounces of wine.
- 1.5-ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey, etc).
If your consumption of alcohol exceeds these recommendations, discuss this with your doctor or mental health professional. If you are on certain types of medications (e.g., antidepressants), you probably need to drink less than the above recommended limit.
Hope you have found these spring-time tips helpful in your campaign to take better care of yourself. As we head into the summer months, I will be sharing with you some thoughts on tending your relationships – a well-known challenge for those with ADHD.
