Do you feel overwhelmed when it comes to your nutrition goals? It may help to simplify and go back to the beginning. A solid foundation of the basics of nutrition is the best place to start. You can find everything you need at choosemyplate.org. With a solid understanding of the basics, your nutrition knowledge will grow and propel you into a healthier lifestyle. When I first started as a nutrition educator, I knew only the basics. And look at me now! You can do it, too.
MyPlate offers a few great tips for getting started:
- Start with small changes. Instead of a diet overhaul, make small changes to what you eat and drink that will work for you now and in the future. Get started by including veggies at every meal, using smaller plates to control portion sizes, and by drinking 8 glasses of water each day.
- Take one day at a time. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, even with the best of intentions. If you miss one day or one milestone for your goal, don’t give up! Recognize and celebrate the small successes to keep you going. Also recognize your areas of weakness and start with one small step to overcome them.
- Be active your way. Pick activities you enjoy! If you focus on having fun or learning a new skill that interests you, you will be more likely to stick with it. Exercise isn’t one size fits all. Click here for ideas to create an active lifestyle.
- Team up. Find a friend with similar goals – swap healthy recipes and be active together. Staying on track is easier with support and a cheerleader. Share your goals with you family and ask them to encourage you along the way.
- Celebrate successes. Think of each change as a “win” as you build positive habits and find ways to reach your goals. Reward yourself – you’ve earned it. Reward yourself with something that will keep you moving forward to your goal. A new kitchen gadget to cook healthy meals, new exercise shoes or workout clothes to boost confidence, or a night out to enjoy a fruity dessert, are all great ideas.
No matter where you are on your healthy lifestyle journey, use the basics as your foundation to keep yourself moving forward. Perhaps one of your new goals will be to include fish in your diet. Tilapia is a budget-friendly fish. Mix it with a bowl full of greens to make Tilapia Salad, and you have delicious meal. You can also use tuna instead of tilapia or chicken if you are not a fish fan.
The recipe calls for pico de gallo. Making your own is easy. Click here for the recipe. Enjoy!
2 thoughts on “Back to the Basics // Tilapia Salad”