13 Small Changes You Can Make to Eat Healthier Forever

Yes, You Can Eat Healthier Forever

Nobody has the perfect diet — and making dramatic eating habit changes in order to eat healthier won't work. Big changes don't stick. Research shows that making small changes to your current eating plan tends to work much better in the long run. We asked registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) from around the country to weigh in on small changes you can make now to eat healthier long-term.

Focus on Fiber

Julie Lee, MS, RD, CDN, campus dietitian at Binghamton University recommends having at least two servings of fiber-rich foods at each meal and one for a snack each day. By focusing on how much fiber you eat, Lee says you’ll naturally increase your intake of nutrient-dense foods and likely hit several other nutrition goals (like eating less sodium and less sugar). “Fiber-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds and whole grains, like oatmeal and brown rice,” says Lee. “Not only does fiber help with bowel regularity, it keeps us full between meals and stabilizes blood sugars to provide a steady stream of energy throughout the day.”

Start Your Day With a Glass of Water

“Start your day with at least one cup of water and continue to aim for at least half your weight in ounces of water throughout the day,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND author of My Indian Table: Quick & Tasty Vegetarian Recipes. Sheth explains that most people wake up slightly dehydrated and having a cup of water first thing in the morning can give you a jump start. Even minor dehydration can affect your energy levels and mood. It is a goal that Sheth works on with most of her clients.

Start Thinking About Food As Your Friend, Not Foe

“Diet culture has wired our brains to think about singular foods as good or bad, carb or protein, clean or dirty. When you stop thinking this way and you realize that food is meant to nourish your body, you start thinking about how nutritious food is working to keep your skin healthy, your bones strong and to give you energy,” explains Sarah Pflugradt, MS, RDN, owner of Sarah Pflugradt Nutrition. “Food can also make you feel good, and that’s okay — I mean, who doesn't love sprinkles? Quality of diet is always important, but food is not your enemy."

Eat One Vegetable At Every Meal

When her clients want to eat healthier, Brynn McDowell, RDN at The Domestic Dietitian, recommends they eat one vegetable at every meal. Vegetables offer several health benefits and provide antioxidants and fiber that can lead to better blood pressure, blood sugar management and improved cholesterol levels. “Being focused on trying to add them to every meal really helps you realize how little vegetables we often eat daily,” she says.

Add Omega-3s

“Adding foods is always more fun than taking them away, right?” says Maggie Moon, MS, RD, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian and author of a new book, The MIND Diet: 2nd Edition. Snacks rich in omega-3s are stellar options to boost your intake of these healthy fats. “Snack on walnuts, make a chia seed pudding, stir ground flaxseed into your next smoothie. Enjoy tinned sardines on an open-faced sandwich, mash an anchovy into pasta sauce or add seafood to your next salad or entree – shrimp, salmon and trout are all popular options.” When it comes to a consistent intake of omega-3s, many Americans fall short and this can have an impact on health in a variety of ways. “Diets rich in omega-3s are linked to better memory, faster thinking and better brain glucose metabolism, and known to soothe inflammation and support the structural integrity of brain cells,” adds Moon.

Don’t Forget Snacks

Snacks are mini meals that can help bridge gaps in the day when you need to refuel. If you find yourself going more than five hours without food, it’s likely a good time to insert a snack. “Snacks help us meet our nutritional needs, keep us satisfied between meals and provide fuel for sustained energy,” explains Alexa Schmidt, RD at Binghamton University Dining Services. For the most filling combination, Schmidt recommends choosing a fiber-filled food like fruit, vegetables or whole grains and combining it with a protein or healthy fat option like a hard-boiled egg, Greek yogurt, string cheese, avocado, nuts or nut butter.

Include a Protein With All Meals

Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD owner, Sound Bites Nutrition suggests making your goal to include some form of protein with all meals such as eggs, Greek yogurt, lean meat, fish, beans or nuts. “Protein foods provide better satiety (feeling of fullness) between meals than carbohydrates,” she says. Plus, they “use more calories to metabolize and digest than carbs or fat.”

Replace Soda With More Healthful Beverages

“One of the best things you can do for your health is to either eliminate or seriously cut back on your soda intake,” Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, nutrition and wellness expert based in New York City and Florida Orange Juice Partner. Cassetty explains that soda and other sweetened drinks are the leading sources of added sugar in our diets. Instead of soda, Cassetty recommends reaching for a 100-percent fruit juice with no added sugars.

Check In With Your Hunger Cues

“One recommendation I often suggest to my clients is: Ask yourself, are you hungry or is this a habit?” says Elizabeth Beil RD, LD. Beil explains that especially when it comes to snacking, many times you may fall into the trap of eating a snack at 3 p.m. simply because it is 3:00 p.m. and not because you are actually hungry. “Listening to your hunger cues are important to have the best relationship you can with food.”

Downsize Your Plates

Portion control is the key to enjoying the foods you love as Chef Jess Swift Harrell, RDN, IFNCP reminds us. “Remember all foods fit, so enjoy the foods that you love, just maybe not so much of them.” What most people don’t realize is that this doesn’t have to be an arduous chore. “Instead of focusing on food scales and measuring cups, just go for a smaller plate. Smaller plates mean there is less room for food and encourages you to think about your food choices and what you have room for. In contrast to larger plates and bowls, which may encourage increased serving sizes as more food is needed to fill them. Aim for plates between seven and nine inches and bowls four and five inches in diameter. This is more aligned with international standards, and linked to lower rates of obesity, improved digestion and reduced risk of chronic disease,” says Harrell.

Display Your Colorful Produce in a Visible Location

A favorite tip from many dietitians, including Emily Rubin RD, LDN Director of Clinical Dietetics in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is to always keep colorful fresh fruit or vegetables in a glass bowl out on the kitchen table as a centerpiece or in the refrigerator to tempt cravings of sweet and salty snacks. “Placing this bowl in a visible, easy-to-reach location will entice your family to make healthier choices throughout the day,” explains Rubin. The long-term benefit of consuming these vegetables and fruits may include lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, preventing some types of cancer, preventing constipation and digestive problems and weight control.

Go for Multi-Tasking Foods

“Foods with one benefit are great, but incorporating ones with multiple benefits can help improve your overall diet with less effort,” advises Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, nutrition expert and author of Everyday Snack Tray. “For example, fresh and frozen blueberries are fabulous for their fiber content (four grams per one-cup serving), which is beneficial for gut health, and they’re also one of the best foods for brain health.” It’s easy to overlook the specialized nutrients that specific fruits and vegetables contain. “Blueberries are uniquely high in anthocyanins, a plant pigment that gives the fruit its deep blue color and has also been shown to help improve mild cognitive performance in older adults.”

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep can influence eating habits. Jonathan Valdez, MBA, RDN, CSG, CDN, CCM, CDCES, ACE-CPT owner and founder of Genki Nutrition recommends getting at least eight to nine hours of sleep every night. “Getting good quality sleep each night not only makes you feel rested and more [energized] but can also bring many health benefits,” explains Valdez. “Studies show that poor sleep affects appetite hormones and people who get enough sleep tend to eat fewer calories and have a lower risk for weight gain. Getting at least eight hours of sleep also improves the immune system and helps against the common cold and inflammation.”