Are you guilty of skipping breakfast, ordering takeout toooften, getting jitters from coffee overload and counting potato chips as partof a viable eating plan? It’s time to kick those habits to the curb and starteating right. Here’s a guide to help you get started.

Eat Breakfast

There’s no better way to start your morning than with ahealthy breakfast. Providing your body with a morning meal provides it withenergy to power not only your muscles but your brain as well! Prevent brain fogand increase your focus by keeping your brain fed.

The key to a good breakfast is balance. Include lean protein, whole grains and fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables.  For example, oatmeal cooked with low-fat milk or fortified soy milk and sliced almonds and berries or scrambled eggs or tofu with mixed veggies and a slice of whole-wheat toast.

Cut Back on Caffeine

Too much caffeine can interfere with sleep, make you jitteryand cause you to lose energy later in the day. Keep your caffeine intake incheck by limiting regular coffee to 3 cups or less per day, and watch what youput into it.Too much sugar isn’t good for your teeth.

Need to wean off? Try switching to half decaf or tea, drinkplenty of water and eat small, frequent meals to keep up energy.

Bring Lunch to Work

How do you make bringing lunch to work easy? The first stepis to plan ahead by thinking through what you want for lunch and adding those foodsto your grocery list. Stock your fridge with tasty, satisfying foods to setyourself up for success.

You could try batch cooking and meal prepping on the weekendso you don’t have to make lunch every morning. This could include bakingchicken, chopping veggies and steaming rice. Make sure your options include acombination of lean protein and carbohydrates. For example, whole-grain breadwith turkey, 1 cup of veggies and a piece of fruit. Or, try a salad withveggies and beans, a piece of fruit and a cup of barley soup.

Eat More Fruits andVegetables

Fruits and veggies add color, flavor and texture, plusvitamins, minerals and fiber to your plate. Consider picking one fruit orveggie you’ve never tried each time you go to the grocery store as fun way todiscover new options. Who knows, you might find a new favorite!

Don’t let winter stop you from enjoying produce either. Itmight be harder to find fresh options, but frozen and canned are greatalternatives.

Cook Dinner at Home

Making meals at home doesn’t have to zap the last bit ofyour time and energy. The trick is to plan ahead. Choose options you can makein advance. For example, cook a batch of soup you can portion out for lunchesor dinner during the week, or bake a whole chicken to slice for sandwiches,wraps and casseroles.

Use shortcuts such as pre-cut or frozen veggies and keep staples on hand such as broth, herbs and lemons for flavoring and salad dressings. A quick and easy idea is to turn leftover beef into stew with beans, no-salt-added diced tomatoes and pre-cut veggies.

Source: Taylor Wolfram, MS, RDN, LDN, Academy of Nutrition & Dietitian

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