Maintaining a healthy weight and eating healthy foods during pregnancy is essential to your baby’s growth and development. In order to get the nutrients you and your baby need, you must eat from a variety of food groups, including fruits and vegetables, breads and grains, protein sources and dairy products.
Turn your resolutions into real solutions in 5 easy steps.
The holidays are a time to visit with family and friends, usually around food. This can be a difficult time to maintain a healthy weight and usually resulting in a few added pounds. Now is a great time to make small changes to get back into healthy eating and feeling great.
Step 1: 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. Use MyPlate as a tool to help you make those healthy changes. It can be as simple as:
- Enjoying a fruit dessert in place of a grain based dessert such as cakes, cookies and pastries.
- Choosing to include a whole grain with your meal.
- Switching to a lower fat milk.
- Snacking on vegetables.
- Preparing main dishes using beans or fish.
Step 2: 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!
Step 3: Be active your way – Pick activities you enjoy! If you focus on having fun or learning a new skill that interest you, you will be more likely to stick with it. Stay on track by using SupperTracker.usda.gov to track your activity.
Step 4: 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. For healthy recipe ideas visit the USDA’s What’s Cooking website.
Step 5: 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!
Information taken from USDA MyPlate MyWins Reach your nutrition goals and USDA Find your Healthy Eating Style & Maintain It for a Lifetime.
Links to the handouts:
https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tentips/MyPlateMyWins.pdf
