March is National Nutrition Month!

And thus, I challenge you to take a second look at your diet this month. After the January New Years resolution kicks have worn off, we can become comfortable in our habits again. Being comfortable is easy, familiar, and often counterproductive. Creating a healthy diet for yourself isn’t necessarily any of these things.

Let me first clarify what the word “diet” means. Many perceive this word to be an evil- something that you “go on” for a period of time to lose weight. In reality, the word diet simply refers to what you eat. Whether it is a healthy or unhealthy diet, it still describes what you daily sustenance consists of.

The best way to get a good idea of what your diet looks like is to write down everything that goes in your mouth (which can be challenging in itself). This includes that chocolate off the receptionists desk, the handful of nuts you munched on & the honey you put in your tea this afternoon. Putting it all on paper to review makes you think about what you put into your body throughout the day. Some of it is done mindlessly! The easiest way to do this it to keep a notepad with you at all times, in a visible place if possible. Setting a reminder in your smartphone or tucking it into your lunchbag when you go to work can be helpful as well. Writing down what you’re eating as you do it rather than trying to remember after the fact will yield much more accurate results. Becoming aware of how much, when & what exactly you’re eating (though it sounds simple) is the first step to improving it.

Once you have a week or two of data to analyze it can be easy to see the shortfalls in your diet. Don’t be discouraged at what your “results” are, it’s only going to get better from here! Aiming for 5-10 servings of fruit & veggies is easier said than done. Looking at your day in terms of food throughout it to see where you could fit some celery & hummus or an apple with peanut butter into the equation instead of a cookie or bag of chips will become much clearer over time. We’re all on a journey toward our healthiest selves, aren’t we?

Try taking these simple steps for a few days- all you need is a pen & paper! If you’re ready to make some changes in your eating habits and would like some help, contact the office at office@ncim.ca or at 250-649-0886 to book an appointment with our Registered Holistic Nutritionist.