PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Many people often wonder, what is eating right? How does one eat right? And why should we eat right? There is a wide array of opinions and fad diets; however, science stands strong in that a healthy diet is a balanced diet. A balanced diet is one that includes a wide variety of foods and meets all of the body’s needs.
How to Eat Right. Eating right doesn’t have to be a frustrating or overly time consuming task. When building a healthy meal, place your focus on whole, unprocessed foods and choose nutrient dense options over calorie dense options. Wondering where to start? Start simple with the MyPlate tool. MyPlate was developed by the USDA and is a simple visual guide to building a healthy, balanced eating style. With the MyPlate method:
- Make half of your plate fruits and veggies
- Make a majority of your grains whole grains
- Vary your protein routine
- Switch to low-fat or fat-free dairy
- Limit added sugars
Why Eat Right? There are many reasons to eat right. To start, eating right provides your body with the nutrients it requires to properly function. A balanced diet is associated with lower disease risk and an improved quality of life. Additionally, a healthy eating plan is a key component to weight loss, optimal performance and improved mood and sleep. Each one of these reasons stand on their own as a motivator to improve your current eating habits. Which benefit is your why?
When looking to improve eating habits, it may not always be easy so it is important to find your why! Poor eating habits and excessive junk food all too easily creep their way into our lives, and they can be difficult to minimize. Why do you want to make healthy eating part of your lifestyle? Is it to improve quality of life? Lose weight? Feel better? Score better on your PT test? Take hold of your why and run with it!
There has been an increasing amount of readily available nutrition resources lately and it is important to note that not all the information is reliable. For credible, detailed nutrition resources, seek out a registered dietitian. The credential registered dietitian is only given to individuals who have completed a 4 year program in nutrition as well as completed an accredited internship and passed a national board exam. Peterson Space Force Base employs two registered dietitians in the Health Promotions office which offers an array of services from nutrition classes to individual nutrition appointments. To schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian, call 524-2273.