Nutrition is something that should be tailored for your body’s specific needs, but there are steps almost everyone can follow to improve their diet. For starters, every plate should be include foods that help you reach your goals, energy needs, and taste preferences. One way to improve your diet and practice healthy eating is to try a Nourish Bowl.
A Nourish Bowl is a well balanced, healthy meal that contains a variety of nutrient dense ingredients such as veggies, healthy fats, proteins and carbs. Nourish Bowls are a great option for a healthy and easy lunch or dinner since you can eat them hot or cold. They’re a no-brainer because there’s no recipe needed – you can use whatever you want.
Follow these four simple steps to learn how to personalize a plate and make a habit of healthy eating:
- Pick a base. Choose a base or carbohydrate source. Carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of energy. Aim to choose complex carbohydrates like oats, quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, etc. as they contain more fiber and micronutrients than refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta.
- Choose a protein. Protein/amino acids are needed for many body processes, including hormone production, transporting nutrients, and cell structure. Protein is also required to build lean muscle. Aim to choose lean protein options such as eggs, fish, poultry, lean meat, tofu, tempeh, beans, and lentils.
- Add healthy fats. Fat helps to maintain body temperature, protect our organs, make up the cells’ structure, support our immune system and facilitate nerve actions. Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, like olive oil, avocado, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, and cold-water fatty fish. If you are using a fat in the cooking process such as olive oil to roast vegetables, that can count towards your fats.
- Bulk up your bowl with vegetables. Vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants needed to help the body function properly and positively impact overall health. Aim to include a wide variety of colors of vegetables to benefit from the different micronutrients each vegetable contains.
Practice the tips above to create meals that are perfectly tailored to your dietary needs. If you need a little help putting a plan together to improve your diet, or If you are interested in discussing your nutrition and lifestyle goals, look into the nutritionist services at Behavioral Nutrition.
Enjoy The Food You Eat
It’s a good idea to have a healthy relationship with food so you can enjoy the food you’re eating when you make healthy choices. The registered dietitians at Behavioral Nutrition can help you find foods that make sense for your body type. Contact our office to learn more about how a therapist on our team can help you improve your diet and stop disordered eating habits today.
