10 Ways to Think like a Nutritionist

Ever wished you had your own personal nutritionist living with you to help keep you and your family on track? We can't all hire a diet coach or get a degree in nutrition, but here are some practical ways you can think like a nutritionist and make a huge difference in the way you approach your relationship to food.

1. Always Eat Breakfast
Eating breakfast is like the golden rule of nutrition. If you want your body and brain to preform well you must treat them right by re-fueling after a long night's fast. Breakfast is important to keep your blood sugar levels stable and get the nutrients needed for a long, active day. Always try to eat within an hour of waking up.

2. Don't Buy Junk Food
Sounds simple, right? But one rule of thumb for thinking like a nutritionist is to shop like one. Plan your meals and snacks and stick to your list at the market. If the junk is not there you can't eat it! Don't shop when you're hungry so you're less likely to be tempted by those quick and easy processed foods that are everywhere you look.

3. Eat Every 4 - 5 Hours
Most of us do well eating every 4-5 hours. Some people, like lactating women or athletes, may need to eat even more often in order to keep steady blood sugar levels. Eating regularly helps us to stay focused and maintain good energy. Carrying healthy snacks with us throughout the day insures that we don't cave in and reach for a doughnut or slice of pizza when the hunger pangs hit. Nuts, fruit, carrot sticks, and whole grain crackers are some good choices to have on hand.

4.Plan Your Meals Ahead
As much as possible, try to plan your meals for the day ahead of time. When your blood sugar has plummeted and you are feeling cranky is not the time to be selecting your food. An easy approach is to plan your lunch and dinner options over breakfast so you can pick up needed ingredients beforehand. Some people do really well planning a week's worth of dinner menus and keep the pantry stocked with healthy foods to choose from for lunches and snacks. Be flexible and tailor your menus to your needs.

5. Eat Your Minerals!
Everyone knows how important vitamins are, but any nutritionist will tell you that it's just as important to get plenty of mineral-rich foods like calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc in our diets.

Mineral deficiencies are becoming more common because of depleted soil and diets high in refined foods, and can lead to a wide variety of health conditions. Do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with the mineral contents of specific foods you eat. Make sure you eat plenty of mineral-rich foods daily.

6. Load Up On Vegetables
Vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, disease-fighting phytochemicals, and antioxidants that help keep our bodies healthy and our energy levels high. Eating vegetables makes us feel full faster than eating refined carbohydrates. Most nutritionists will base the majority of meals around vegetables. Try to incorporate a wide variety of colorful vegetables into your diet each day.

7. Choose Whole Grains
Nutritionists know that choosing whole grains like oats, amaranth, barley, quinoa, and millet over processed flours is a vital part of a healthy diet. Whereas foods made from refined flours are basically devoid of most nutrients, whole grains are an excellent source of fiber, and vitamins and minerals like folic acid, and niacin. Think like a nutritionist by choosing a bowl of oatmeal over that sugary, packaged cereal.

8.Combine Foods Well
In order to stay full longer and have plenty of energy throughout the day most nutritionists combine high quality sources of protein with carbohydrates into their meal plans. By doing this, we get a good balance of nutrients and insure optimal levels of brain chemicals to help us stay focused and energetic.

9. Avoid Sugar
We're all familiar with that lethargic feeling known as the 'blood sugar blues' we get after indulging in sugary foods. That is the body's response to the spike and fall of insulin levels. But sugar has other unwanted effects that you may not know about. For instance, sugar interferes with the absorption of protein, calcium, and magnesium. Recent studies show that cancer cells feed on sugar, and eating even moderate amounts of sugar regularly can lead to kidney stones. Most nutritionists advocate substituting fresh fruit for sweets made from refined sugar.

10. Get Plenty of Protein
Adequate protein is essential to good health because it contains amino acids, building blocks the body needs in order to grow and repair cells. Protein is needed for nearly every function in the body from metabolism to digestion, and the transporting of nutrients. It is also needed to produce antibodies and fight infection. Of the twenty different types of amino acids contained in protein, 8 of them are considered essential - meaning they are not produced by the body and must be gotten from foods we eat. All of the amino acids are needed in order for the body to thrive. Some foods contain all 8 of the essential amino acids and are considered "complete" proteins. Examples of these types of foods are meats, eggs, fish and poultry. Foods like vegetables, pulses, grains and nuts are considered "incomplete" proteins and must be combined with other foods in order to get all of the essential amino acids. Without adequate protein our mood begins to falter and our bodies have a hard time keeping blood sugar levels even.

Whether you're looking for ways to keep your weight under control or want to be able to make smarter choices for your family's health, these 10 simple ways to think like a nutritionist can help you stay on track.