Basic Pursuits

Habit formation takes planning and repetition. But like any good story, good habits have a beginning. Good habit formation requires that you make a plan, write it down, refine the plan, make mini-plans to cover details and contingencies, and repeat, repeat, repeat.

Here are ten nutrition practices that you'll want make a habit over time. Pick ONE and start today. Work on it until it becomes part of you. Then pick another.

One at a time. One day at a time. 

1. Make a plan to give up sugared soft drinks that naturally leads to a plan to give up all soft drinks. The "Coke" habit is deadly. It mainlines nearly 8 teaspoons of sugar straight into your blood stream, causing an insulin panic-scramble, and setting you up for Type2 Diabetes. Besides you are taking in 136 useless calories. Try tea without the 8 teaspoons of sugar. Tea actually has nutritional benefits.
2. Figure out three ways to eat broccoli that you enjoy without greasing it up with butter and cheese. Broccoli is a power food. Here's my favorite. Broccoli microwaves well too.
3. Figure out three ways to eat spinach that you enjoy without greasing it up with butter and cheese. Another power food. Broccoli or spinach on the menu every day is a nutritional blockbuster.
4. Make a plan to quit eating potato chips, corn chips, all chips made of flour and fat. Substitute nuts. Almonds are great, but any nut is better than potato chips.
5. Make a plan to substitute nuts or fruit for any sugary pastries that you might be eating on a regular basis. Pastries made with highly refined flour are the equivalent of mainlining sugar. Ween yourself.
6. Make a plan to keep yourself fueled throughout the day so that you are less tempted to reach for the junk. Good nutrition requires planning. Quit thinking of eating as an something you'll do when you get around to it. Plan to have what you need in place when and where you need it.
7. Make a list of all the low fat protein that you like eating and incorporate it into your eating. Keep an open mind. Visit the canned meats section of your grocery store. Don't forget canned fish. Besides tuna, there's salmon, sardines, and mackerel. These are fattier than tuna, but the trade-off is worth it considering the Omega3 fatty acids you get from them.
8. Make a plan to switch out any refined flour products you are now eating for a whole grain equivalent.
9. Gather real data. Start logging what you eat. You'll never completely understand your nutrition strengths and weaknesses until you get some real data. That means measuring what you eat. It ain't that hard.
10. Get in into your head that eating better will be something that you work on for the rest of your life. Unless you have a life-long mom or nutritionist-cook, you'll be dealing with nutrition everyday for the rest of your life. Develope a passionate commitment to this daily necessity. It will be a giant step toward your success.