Diet resolutions for a nutritious new year

This year, forget fads that will set you up for broken resolutions. Instead, resolve to make changes to your eating habits based on sound science. Here are some simple strategies that should make you feel good today and help maintain your health for tomorrow. Try one idea at a time. After a few weeks, start on the next one. By year's end, you'll be an enlightened eater without giving it second thought.

Track it
If your eating habits are in need of a major overhaul, write down what you eat. It's a simple way to help you think about your diet. Make this easy by buying an agenda or note pad to keep in your purse.

Eat three meals a day
Going too long without eating is a recipe for overeating, so think about where your next meal is coming from and keep healthy snacks on hand. There are benefits beyond staying trim: in a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers assessed the effect of two meal patterns on healthy, normal-weight adults -- one meal a day versus three meals per day. Both patterns had the same nutrient content, but eating one meal a day was linked to higher blood pressure and artery-clogging LDL-cholesterol readings.

Downsize your portions
A steak-house-size piece of meat is enough to feed a family of four. A fat-free muffin with a large specialty coffee drink contains approximately enough calories to fuel an entire day. At home, steer clear of portion distortion by using smaller plates. Try The Diet Plate, a Canadian offering that's a super aid in the battle of large servings. These earthenware plates and cereal bowls have portion sizes of various foods marked on them, so it's easy to dole out appropriate servings.

Trade white bread for whole grains
Try a variety of fibre- and nutrient-rich whole grains including barley, quinoa, brown rice and whole wheat couscous. The new dietary guidance from Health Canada, Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide, advises, "Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day." Don't judge a product by its name -- some packaging can be misleading. Check the ingredient list for the word whole. Try one new whole grain product every other week by seeking out delicious breads at the bakery, and make whole grain choices when you buy pasta, rice, crackers and more.

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