The best way to achieve nutrition and food-related outcomes is to be intentional about what you eat. By being intentionally careful with what you eat, you're helping yourself be more likely to reach optimal and targeted results. Here are some tips for eating well to accomplish a slew of healthy weight loss, digestive improvements, or other lifestyle changes.


Eating for specific health goals



How To Improve Digestion

There are so many foods that provide nutrients and can promote proper digestive health—some of you might have never thought of them! These include:

  • Nuts (particularly walnuts)
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin K
  • Good sources of fiber (and more!)
  • Lentils (especially the lentil soup on this list)
  • Dark chocolate
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned). Include berries, citrus, squash, tomatoes, celery, carrot sticks, cabbage, zucchini, peppers, etc.
  • Beans (especially those from legumes and nuts)
  • Dried Fruit
  • Yogurt
  • Chia seeds
  • Dairy products

Healthy Fats & Oils

Healthy fats (lard, butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, fatty fish oil, olive oil) are associated with lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Unsaturated fatty acids found in sunflower oil, flaxseed oil, soybean oil, avocados, and olive oil may help reduce inflammation, improve mood, protect against cardiovascular disease, and improve brain function.

Omega-3 fatty acids (found primarily in salmon, mackerel, canola oil, and walnuts) may also influence inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial function, cognitive function, and insulin resistance.

However, omega-3 fatty acids, especially if consumed in low doses, can increase triglyceride levels, which then leads to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

High consumption of omega-6 fatty acids has been linked to adverse health consequences, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, reduced bone mineral density, increased inflammatory markers, higher blood pressure, and more.

It is important to note that all fat sources should be eaten in small amounts—most do not contribute to significant LDL oxidation. If you choose to go beyond these guidelines for beneficial fat intake, talk to your doctor before doing so. Be sure to read Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods, but don't worry too much about them; most people take enough daily calories through their diets without over-consuming.

Eating Habits That Impact Your Weight And Nutritional Needs

All of the following behaviors may impact your calorie intake and result in unhealthy weight gain:

Eating while watching TV on an empty stomach. Not only does this mean less energy for hunger cues, but it also can lead to overeating, which can lead to excess body weight.

. Not only does this mean less energy for hunger cues, but it also can lead to overeating, which can lead to excess body weight. Wearing a seat belt. Seat belts are typically used for car occupants, but they can prevent obesity among children and adults alike by preventing falls.

. Seat belts are typically used for car occupants, but they can prevent obesity among children and adults alike by preventing falls. Consuming high-calorie drinks at regular intervals throughout the day. While caffeinated beverages are often considered harmful due to their high sugar content, there is evidence showing higher daily caffeine intakes from a variety of sweetened beverages lead to greater weight gain over time compared to coffee.

In fact, one study conducted on young adults who drank two cups of 100% fruit juice per day showed that drinking 500 ml of fruit juice per day was linked to an average weight gain of around two pounds per year in both men and women.

Avoiding mealtime snacks and treats is particularly important because they pack in unnecessary calories, leading to increased calorie intake throughout the rest of the day. Some examples of poor choices could include candy bars or cookies, instant pies, white bread, pastries, doughnuts, ice cream soda pop, and sweets and desserts. Even though eating high-calorie snacks or treats has not been directly linked to weight gain, many studies suggest consuming larger portions of highly processed sugary goods could lead to weight gain.

One study of overweight individuals found that those who ate three servings of fast food at least once a week had significantly higher total body weights than those who ate just one serving of fried chicken and one portion of a baked potato. Many experts believe that fast foods may actually trigger the production of more satiating hormones than actual calories, leading to a greater sense of overall fullness.

Drinking alcoholic beverages during meals is another poor choice that contributes to excess calories, a potentially problematic habit due to its potential adverse effects on weight gain and appetite control. Drinking alcohol may cause an alteration in how the brain processes emotional information, increasing caloric intake associated with this behavior.

This can increase total calorie intake and contribute to excessive weight gain. Experts recommend reducing your alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day for women and two for men, although moderation is essential. Limiting alcohol consumption to 3 to 4 drinks per day might help reduce weight and prevent it from accumulating over time.

Being sedentary for long periods (e.g., 4 hours/day of sitting) is yet another factor that increases calories in the body, even in healthy adults. Sedentary times spent sleeping, lying down, reclining, eating, or exercising can impair physical mobility and lead to decreased muscle mass and muscle strength, increased body fat, and more muscle tissue lost for an extended period.

Taking up activities like dancing, gardening, yoga, or using any form of exercise in addition to walking or cycling to stay active at home all help to increase activity and physical activity in the body. Additionally, when someone spends long hours in front of screens, this can cause increased calorie intake, further compounding weight gain. Studies support that having screens in a bedroom affects sleep quality, sleep quantity, daytime alertness, and fatigue. Limit screen time to 2 hours or less daily, and try to close curtains during naps to avoid blue light exposure.

Tips For Reducing Stress Levels

Stressful situations don't just lead us to feel anxious; they lead us to make poor food choices when we're stressed. When making bad dietary decisions, we're actually lowering our nutritional intake levels and putting ourselves at greater risk for chronic illness. Below are some strategies to try to ease stress and improve your overall well-being:

Spend Time With Family and Friends

It's proven that spending time with others can improve mental health and social relationships by releasing endorphins (feelings similar to oxytocin)—an emotion called "the love hormone".

Whether with loved ones, family members, friends, co-workers, or loved ones by other means, it can be easier to relax when surrounded by loved ones who can validate your worries or offer comfort. Take time to sit back and relax with friends, spend quality time with animals (if allowed), or have some alone time (like taking a walk or reading a book). Being mentally healthy makes life easier for everyone and helps maintain your overall level of wellness.

You don't need special treatment to enjoy yourself; spending time outdoors with nature can help promote positive feelings and improve mental health and satisfaction. Anecdotal evidence suggests spending time outside can decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, boost self-esteem and happiness, and even improve blood pressure.

Research has also shown that staying physically active can give you a boost from physical tension, improve overall well-being, and even lower blood pressure. Physical activity and fitness have also been shown to prevent and reverse certain diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease.

Try incorporating some kind of outdoor recreational activity into your schedule. Get outside when you can and get outside regularly throughout the day. Exercise can be as simple as jogging or biking on a nearby path and taking walks in a local park. Make it fun and enjoyable by choosing activities that challenge you, such as hiking on your lunch breaks, climbing trees, or swimming in streams and rivers. There's nothing quite like getting outside and feeling happier and healthier.

Eat Plant-Based Foods

Plant-based eating is often associated with plant-based meat alternatives, such as Beyond Meat, whose vegan options can have many surprising benefits, such as significantly less animal cruelty, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and fewer toxins in the environment.

Although the first step for many vegans is eliminating all dairy, egg, and chicken from their diet, most people who decide to eliminate dairy are still able to consume eggs, poultry, cheese, and yogurt. Switching to plant-based foods means eliminating these types of products, but the concept of plant-based eating applies to anything you can think of, and the list continues. Check out resources like The Wellness Guide or start simply adding beans, dried cranberries, pinto beans, tempeh, chickpeas, almonds, cashews (almond butter, almond milk, peanut butter, etc.), pistachios (almond butter, almond spread), chia seeds, nut butter, hemp hearts, coconut flour, oatmeal, and rice to your plate for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and smoothies. Just make sure you use whole foods and try to limit processed carbohydrates, sugars, and salt.

Most importantly, learn how to recognize processed carbohydrates, sugars, and sodium in foods, and avoid them altogether. Remember that most of the carbohydrates, sugar, and salt in these dishes come from grains. Instead of relying solely on plain ingredients, keep things fresh by purchasing organic foods, baking or grilling at home, and trying new recipes.