Spring is finally here, so as you start thinking about the ideal beach body or the new weight-room PRs you’ll be working to achieve this season, you’ll also want to think about double-checking your daily nutrition.
After all, it’s normal for New Year’s resolutions to falter a bit by April. Maybe donuts have snuck back into your weekly routine. Maybe you’ve stopped by the local greasy spoon a few too many times, hoping that your winter sweaters will hide the extra size around your waistline.
Because you’re already spring-cleaning your house, now is the perfect time to take stock of your kitchen and pantry, too. Make a few of these simple dietary switches, and you’ll find that you can make a ton of progress toward a healthier lifestyle.
Toby Amidor is the owner of Toby Amidor Nutrition and best-selling author of The Easy 5-Ingredient Healthy Cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook, and The Greek Yogurt Kitchen.
<p class='slide-count'>1 of 10</p><img width="1109" height="614" src="/uploadfile/2024/1209/20241209093529205.jpg"><p class="photo-credit">LightField Studios / Shutterstock</p>Reorganize Your Fridge
A change of season is a good time to toss out the old and bring in the new. This is true when it comes to cleaning out your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer.
Toss any food (or, better yet, compost it, if you can) that’s long past its “use by” date—the food’s nutritional quality is likely compromised. Reorganize your food so you know what you have, and what you need to restock.
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Cut Down On The Sugary Products
The 2015-2020 dietary guidelines for Americans recommend no more than 10% of your total daily calories come from added sugar. This means cutting back on sugar that isn’t a natural part of the food. A few hidden sources of added sugar: bottled salad dressings, bottled barbecue sauce, multigrain cereals, ketchup, canned or prepared baked beans, and bread.
Added sugar will be tough to decipher until the new food labels are released, however, because sugar can be listed under many different names. Look under the ingredient list for any of these common names for sugar: agave nectar, brown sugar, cane crystals, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, crystalline fructose, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, and syrup.
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Eat More Vegetables
According to the 2015-2020 dietary guidelines for Americans, only 10% of the U.S. population gets the recommended amount of vegetables each day.
Vegetables contribute antioxidants and many other micronutrients to help your body stay fit and healthy. Men between 19–50 years old should eat 3 cups of vegetables per day, while men 51 years and older should eat 2½ cups of vegetables per day. Simple ways to add vegetables throughout the day:
- Pile lettuce and tomatoes onto a sandwich or burger.
- Store sliced vegetables (carrots, celery, bell peppers, and broccoli) in the refrigerator to grab as a snack or an easy side
- Toss vegetables into dishes. Tomatoes and mushrooms go well in omelets, carrots work in chili, and parsnips and turnips work well in soups.
- Make a large green toss salad twice a week, so you can always have it on hand as a meal-starter.
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Properly Hydrate
It’s important to stay properly hydrated before, during, and after exercise— especially true when the weather starts warming up. Usually plain water will do the trick. Add sliced fruit (like lemons and limes) or vegetables (cucumber works well) to your water if you need the added flavor.
If you exercise intensely for several hours, then a sports drink can come in handy. In between workouts, keep a bottle of water at your desk or by your side so you can sip throughout the day.
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Add Pulses to Your Diet
Pulses include dry peas, beans, lentils, and chickpeas. These foods are high in muscle-building protein, satisfying fiber, and healthy unsaturated fat. Add chickpeas to salads or use black or white beans for a dip.
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Moderate Your Alcohol Intake
Alcohol isn’t a necessity in anyone’s diet. If you choose to drink, the 2015-2020 dietary guidelines from the CDC recommend that men should have no more than 2 servings of alcohol per day. One serving is defined as 12 fl oz of beer, 5 fl oz of wine, or 1.5 fl oz of an 80-proof liquor (like vodka or rum). If you find yourself kicking back a few too many, then spring is a good time to start monitoring how much you’re drinking.
Remember, alcohol is a huge source of empty calories—each serving provides about 100 to 150 calories, which means enjoying four drinks can rack up between 400 to 600 extra calories in no time.
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Control Portions
Portion control isn’t a new concept, but spring is a good time to start gauging portions. Whip out your measuring spoons and cups and really check if your portions are appropriate.
Often times, it’s tough to know how much a cup or 2 cups of a food really looks like until you measure it out a few times.
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Cook More at Home
Read the nutrition facts on most produces, and you’ll find that the dishes are brimming in calories, sodium, artery-clogging saturated fat, and even added sugar (depending on the dish).
Instead of using sugar, butter, and salt to add flavor to your dishes, you can use fresh, wholesome, and virtually calorie-free ingredients like herbs, spices, and citrus fruit. (Alcohol can also be used; interestingly, if you heat alcohol, the calories and alcohol content dissipates, but the flavor remains.) Cooking at home also allows you to keep a better eye on portions.
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Try Ancient Grains
Ancient grains include quinoa, amaranth, barley, sorghum, and teff. They provide fiber, protein, and an array of B-vitamins, and other nutrients. All ancient grains are cooked in liquid, where you can use water, low-sodium chicken broth, bone broth, or even light coconut milk.
The 2015 dietary guidelines recommend getting 50% your daily grains from whole grains—swapping that white rice for any of these ancient grains can help you meet those goals.
Each ancient grain slightly differs in their grain-to-liquid ratio, so read the label for the appropriate ratio and cooking time.
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Grow Your Own
Spring is the perfect time to get outdoors and plant a small garden. If growing your own is new to you, start with herbs, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries.
Grow what you enjoy eating! Also, consider how much room you have—produce like summer squash, tomatoes, and melons can take over your entire garden if you don’t keep an eye on them.