Tips For Eating Healthy At Home….By Mary Buss, M.D.
Eating Healthy At Home, By Mary Buss, M.D.
With two children under the age of two, a new job, and the excitement of the holiday season, I admit to eating Christmas cookies for breakfast on more than one occasion in 2011. Those were really enjoyable mornings.
Fortunately, for my heart, metabolism, and psyche, those days were exceptions. Our family has found some simple ways to eat healthy on a regular basis. Below is a list of tips and philosophies that help us stay on track.
Healthy Eating Tips and Philosophies
Plan Ahead!
This is by far the most important aspect of eating right. Look ahead at your calendar. What nights are hectic and busy? How will you avoid going to a fast food restaurant on those evenings?
We cook a large portion of a healthy main dish and eat it for several days, sometimes all week. When my husband taught evening classes, he would pack lunch AND dinner to bring with him. This also helps with portion control.
Healthy Snacks
Walnuts and yogurt are great snacks. Fruits and vegetables are also great snacks. They are low in calories and very filling.
Salmon Burgers
Salmon burgers are an easy way to get your omega-three fatty acids. You can cook them on Sunday and bring them for lunch all week.
Large Bowl of Salad
I make a large bowl of salad on Sundays (with spinach and lots of vegetables), and eat it with dinner throughout the week. You can pack five of them to bring with you for lunch each day.
Smoothies
Make a large smoothie early in the week and drink it over the next several days to get your fruit and antioxidants.
Unhealthy Foods
Keep unhealthy foods out of the house. There are enough temptations out in the world to avoid without having them at home too.
Choose Wisely
If you get too hungry to wait for your next meal, eat something you were going to eat with that meal, such as a yogurt or other side dish. This can help you stay within your budget if you are counting calories.
Keep Moving!
Exercise is a wonderful way to keep you feeling great and motivated to eat right. When you are planning your meals for the week, also plan your exercise times.
Don’t Reward Yourself with Food
A long, challenging day at work does not mean you deserve a cookie, ice cream, or your favorite snack.
Keep it Simple
Steamed vegetables are a low maintenance, healthy side dish. They take only 10-15 minutes while you prepare (or reheat) the rest of your meal.
If You Splurge, Move On
If you splurge and overeat on junk food, get over it and move on. One unhealthy decision is not a free pass to make more bad food decisions, nor a reason to be down on yourself.
Watch Your Portions
Serving sizes in our society have become ridiculously large. A small portion is often enough to satisfy a craving.
Healthy Snacking
When you feel like eating just for the sake of eating, and not because you’re actually hungry, at least eat something that’s good for you.
Just Say No to a Tempting Treat
It’s okay to say no to a tempting treat. Remember, it’s not the last piece of cake, piece of pizza, or bag of chips on earth. You will have the opportunity again.
Eat Slowly
Eat slowly, or at least wait and make sure you are truly hungry before eating more. After residency, when I had precious time to eat, I realized I was inhaling every meal as fast as possible, out of habit. This can lead to overeating, as it takes your brain time to recognize you are full.
Quick and Easy Recipes
Collect a few recipes that are quick and easy. They are good to have on hand to make during a busy evening (or in preparation for an overly booked week).
Clip Coupons
We’ve been able to decrease our monthly grocery bill by over $100 by clipping a few coupons and stocking up on our favorite items when they are on sale. We also save a lot of money by eating out only once or twice a month.
Our diet is not perfect, but we have made a lot of improvements in the last few years. We also evaluate our intake every few years, because it is so easy to slip back into old habits. I hope you find this list helpful, and will take a few minutes to plan your meals this week. You can also plan on feeling great!
To learn more about healthy eating and ways to take better care of you and your family, contact Kansas City Internal Medicine at 913-451-8500, or visit us online at www.kcim.com.
Mary Buss, M.D.
Dr. Mary Buss graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Doctorate of Medicine in 2002. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine, both at UMKC.
Dr. Buss is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine and is a member of the American Medical Society, American Geriatric Society, and the Missouri State Medical Association. Volunteer activities include Heartland Presbyterian Center and Northland CARE/MetroCARE.
Dr. Buss will see patients at the Murray Road office, John Knox Village, St. Luke’s-Lee’s Summit, and Lee’s Summit Hospital.
In her spare time, Dr. Buss enjoys running, pool volleyball, and spending time with family.
