Enjoy National Nutrition Month® Bite by Bite

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? This annual campaign was created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to raise awareness about informed food choices, sound eating, and the importance of physical activity.

This year’s theme is “Eat Right, Bite by Bite.” This theme encapsulates the basic principle of intuitive eating – healthy eating doesn’t mean food restriction. Dieting and restricting the foods that you love doesn’t equate to good nutrition.

Developing healthy eating habits and behaviors is something you can achieve in a step-by-step manner. Any small changes you make can have a big effect on your wellbeing.

4 ways to Celebrate Nutrition

This month say NO to diets, and instead take the time to think about your eating habits. Throughout the month, try to make small changes to create habit forming behaviors. Here are four ways you can join in on the celebration of nutrition:

1. Vary Your Diet – Eat foods from each of the food groups every day for a well-balanced plate. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and protein are the major food groups you can choose from. A varied diet keeps things interesting for you too, so food is always an exciting experience!

2. Meal Planning – Choosing your favorite recipes, creating shopping lists, and designating a cooking day is a great way to ensure you have all the meals you need to get through the week. Meal planning saves time and money while keeping you satisfied.

3. Learn to Cook – Attend a cooking class or watch some cooking shows at home. Experiment with different ingredients to find the dishes you love making and eating! Get your family involved with the meal for some quality time together.

4. Visit a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) – A dietitian is someone with the education and qualifications necessary to help you achieve your goals through personalized nutrition advice. Consulting with an RDN (like me!) is a great first step for eating well to feel well.

4 Tips for Starting Your Intuitive Eating Journey:

Learning to trust your body is the foundation to having a happy, healthy relationship with food. You can throw out all of the diet books and food rules because you don’t need any of that. Your body was born with the knowledge necessary to eat right. Make peace with your body and make peace with food.

1. Reject the Diet Mentality – Forget the quick fixes, magic pills, and fad diets because they don’t work. Instead of thinking about food in terms of “good” or “bad,” think of food as what it is: food! Your body needs food to give you energy.

2. Listen to Your Inner Hunger and Fullness Signals – Your body is very smart; it intuitively knows when you are hungry and when you are full. Eating slowly without distractions can help you to tune in to what your body is trying to tell you. Listen to what’s being said.

3. Ask Yourself What You Want to Eat – When you strip away the labels on food, it takes away the forbidden nature or guilt that can be associated with it. Allowing yourself to eat what you want gives you the power to make your own eating decisions with confidence.

4. Practice Mindful Eating – Eating mindfully means being aware of what you are eating, why you are eating, and how you are eating. Noticing subtle tastes, flavors, and textures is part of this practice. Notice your food and enjoy the experience.

Any steps you take toward eating intuitively is an accomplishment on your journey. Be proud of yourself and keep going! If you would like to know more about this journey, you can learn more about me and my practice here.

Your Turn to Take Action: How will you celebrate National Nutrition Month? Let me know in the comments below!

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