Guide to Wellness – July 2019

“You have so many diet

choices to make every day,

so even if you make a change

only some of the time, the

benefits add up,” Lutes says.

A study from researchers

at the University of South

Australia supports that

strategy. They found that

replacing just 25 percent of

discretionary foods (such

as dessert, snacks, and sug-

ary beverages) with healthy

foods resulted in a huge

improvement in overall diet

quality—reducing sugars by

almost 21 percent and calo-

ries by almost 4 percent, and

increasing protein intake by

about 2 percent. That means

that something as simple as

trading a few cookies for a

piece of fruit can make a dif-

ference in helping you follow

a healthier diet.

Here are eight easy ways

to improve your eating:

Go Meatless More Often

A study published in JAMA

Internal Medicine found that

replacing animal protein

with an equivalent amount

of plant protein was associ-

ated with a lower risk of

mortality, especially from

heart disease. So swap your

burger for a veggie one or

make a bean chili so hearty

you won't miss the meat.

Eat Healthy Foods

You Like

A study from Baylor Uni-

versity’s Hankamer School

of Business found that even

people with little self-control

can set themselves up for

healthy-eating success if

they switch their attention

from what the researchers

called “avoidance” foods

to “approach” foods. Don’t

try to force-feed yourself

something healthy that you

Mastering the Art of Portion Control

Research has shown

time and again that

when we have a large

portion of food in front

of us, we’re likely to

eat more, even when

we’re not hungry. Here's

how to train your brain

to feel fuller, faster:

Scoop and pour. Use

measuring spoons

and cups to dole out

precise portions for a

few weeks. You might

be surprised to see that

a serving of the cereal

you eat most days is

¾ cup, but filling up the

bowl to what looks like

a reasonable portion

puts you closer to 2 or

3 cups. (For a guide

to serving sizes, go to

choosemyplate.gov.)

Share with a friend.

When dining out, start

with your own healthy

appetizer and split the

entrée. It’s also wise

to go halfsies on extras

such as french fries

and dessert.

Watch the portions

you serve yourself of

healthy foods, too.

Plenty of nutritious

foods, such as almonds

and dates, are also

high in calories.

And people tend to

underestimate calories

of foods they think

are good for them,

according to a study

from Cornell University.

Focus on fiber. Simply

choosing foods that

are rich in fiber can

help fill you up. Fiber-

rich choices include

beans, fruits, veggies,

and whole grains.

Take smaller bites.

That can help you keep

portions in check. For

example, research from

the Netherlands found

that people who took

tinier sips of tomato

soup ate about 30

percent less than those

who gulped it. (The

researchers said that

the finding applies to

solid food, too.)

CR.ORG GUIDE TO WELLNESS 29

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