by Elizabeth Hall, MS, RDN, LDN, Food City Registered Dietitian

Follow these tips for a happier and healthier you in 2019!

1.    Break out of Dieting Jail
Diets are meant to be temporary and are rarely effective for sustainable behavior change. Instead, focus on adding healthy behaviors to your lifestyle.

2.    Focus on Balance
Try not to put too much stock in fad diets that promote one food or food group over another. All food groups are important because they play specific roles in the body.

3.    Practice Mindfulness
Eating on the run takes not only the awareness, but some of the enjoyment out of meal times. Slow down, taste your food, and enjoy the meal experience.

4.    Eat Breakfast
When it comes to improving metabolism and energy, eating a balanced breakfast can give you that much needed jump-start to tackle the day or the New Year.

5.    Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and veggies are low in calories but packed with nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. Get a variety of colors each day and try fresh, frozen, canned, or dried options.

6.    Stay Hydrated!
To drink more water, buy a fun water bottle and commit to taking it everywhere with you. Infuse with fruit for a refreshing taste.

7.    Get to Know Food Labels
Food packages make a wide variety of claims from “reduced-fat” to “low-calorie” or even simply “healthy”. If you are trying to make a purchase decision based on nutrition, the best place to look on the package would be the Nutrition Facts Panel.

8.    Give up the Guilt
Guilt is only a good thing when it motivates you to positive change, not if it gives you the chance to put yourself down. It is the same with food. Good nutrition is determined over time and is based on lifestyle not on one meal or one day of eating something out of the norm.

9.    Be Body-Positive
Instead of focusing on how foods affect body weight, talk positively about the nutrients that food can provide to the body. A positive body image and relationship with food are also important parts of establishing a healthy lifestyle.