How To Maintain Healthy Eating Habits for the Whole Year

healthy eating habits New Year Samantha Heller food record diet challenge mentally prepared Dr. Mark Cucuzzella West Virginia University School of Medicine managing stress Georgie Fear favorite foods and treats Trista Best Plant-Based Diet start slow ultra-processed foods

By Lili Scott , Parent Herald Jan 23, 05:44 am

Photo: (Photo : Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for Barcelona Enterprises)

People usually resolve to have healthy eating habits to start the New Year, only to struggle with following a good diet plan a few weeks into January. Dietitian Samantha Heller said that this is a common problem for most people because they set up some unrealistic expectations about losing weight.

Speaking with CBS News, Heller said that people who "go all out" to make a huge change in their diet right away would find that their plan won't work. Instead, she suggested making small steps to their healthy eating habits that are "realistic, doable, attainable and sustainable."

Here are some tips on maintaining a good diet for the whole year:

Keep a food record.

Heller said that logging what you eat daily instills the "mindfulness" part of having healthy eating habits. When you keep track of what you eat, you can see the progress of your eating patterns and snacking habits better.

Having a food record also becomes a learning tool to understand your body's reaction to food better. You could also figure out some stress and time management techniques based on how you've had for the week because you'll get a clearer picture of why your diet went off the rails.

Be sure you are mentally prepared for the diet challenge.

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, specializing in low-carb diets at the West Virginia University School of Medicine, suggested against making a major overhaul in your eating habits if you're dealing with stress, lack of sleep, or a busy schedule. He said that if you don't have the time and energy to commit to a diet plan, then it will be hard to stick to the goal for the rest of the year.

You have to be mentally prepared to focus on eating healthy to sustain this change. If you're not yet in that right state of mind, Cucuzzella suggested focusing on managing your stress first before you change things up with your food intake.

Don't cut out your favorite foods or treats.

Depriving yourself of your favorite food or treats will be counterproductive, per dietitian Georgie Fear. If you're cutting back on pasta because it's rich in carbs, but you're actually "dying inside," then you should not proceed with this kind of diet plan.

The experts said that it's still okay to include at least 20 to 30 percent of your favorite foods in your new diet plan so you can enjoy what you eat. Sometimes, food with high calories but low in nutritional value will help with staving off mindlessly eating food you don't have the appetite for.

Make small steps and start with slow changes.

Dietitian Trista Best told Health Magazine that a good dietary journey should start slow. Perhaps try a new vegetable one week or pick up a new recipe once a month so as not to overwhelm yourself.

You could start adopting a plant-based or whole food diet and get healthier fats and more anti-oxidants from the food you eat. The dieticians said you need to be gentle with this approach and not aim to go full vegetarian. You still have to be flexible with your diet since this is not an "all or nothing approach."

However, you should also try to avoid ultra-processed food in your diet. Though these types of food are convenient and easy to prepare, especially for busy parents, it will be tougher to control what you eat and manage your food intake.