4 Dietician and Doctor Recommended Healthy Changes to Make This Year

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If you have read my bio page, you might know that I majored in Nutritional Science in college. I almost went on to get my Masters and become a Registered Dietitian, but instead I became a momma. Sometimes I feel like I have forgotten everything I learned in school when I'm heating up chicken nuggets for the kids or agreeing to let them watch just one more show. But then I realize that it isn't that I have forgotten it- I've just gotten out of habit! So I think that the best way to try and start living up to what I know is to pretend I am my own dietician. If I were to consult myself- what changes would I advise myself? The four lifestyle changes I am working on are remembering my multi-vitamin and adding natural probiotic to my morning routine, increasing my water intake, swapping snacks, and moving more. 

1. Mutivitamin + a Natural Probiotic

As a chronic migraine sufferer, I am a big advocate of popping pain pills, but when it comes to preventative pills like probiotics or multi-vitamins, I am kind of terrible. I forget to take them all the time! This year I have been working really hard at remembering to take my multivitamin and have also tried adding in a natural probiotic, Insync Probiotic. My nutrition classes in school taught a lot about the benefits of taking a probiotic. They help to balance out the good vs. bad bacteria in your digestive system. I'm not a big yogurt eater (I can't stand the texture) so I don't get a lot of good bacteria in my diet. Taking a daily probiotic is a great way to keep things in balance for me.

I snagged my probiotic and other vitamins at Hy-Vee in the pharmacy section while on a grocery run. For time's sake I just asked the pharmacist to point me to the probiotics and then headed to stock up on produce to help me with other changes on my list.

2. Drink More Water

I really, really, really need to work on this. Thank goodness for my sweet husband who picked me up a new water bottle a few weeks back. He bought it because of it's easy close mechanism in hopes that I would stop leaving open bottles around the house for him to spill. But I love it because it has a small mouth but it still carries plenty of water. 

2. Swap Out Snacks

I have been trying to consciously swap in healthier snacks for my kids and for myself. My kids and I tend snack on a lot of crackers and fruit snacks. While my boys are really good fruit and veggie eaters, I need to put in the time to cut them up and put snacks together for them.

A cucumber or green pepper can sit in the fridge for weeks uneaten, but as soon as I take the time to cut them up and throw then in bags with baby carrots we eat them right away. I send bags of veggies to work with my hubby and throw them in my purse when we run errands.

I'm even trying to switch up my treats. I have a lovely habit of eating treats or cereal every night after my kids go to bed. Instead of just a bowl of ice cream, I have started making a fake cobbler with warm oatmeal, fruit or a little pie filling and a little bit of ice cream. The oatmeal is really filling and so good with the ice cream!

4. Move More

I've had periods of my life where I was extremely active. I loved having a gym membership in college and training for half marathons or 5k races. But since having my kiddos, it has been a challenge to keep up with a very rigorous or continuous exercise plan. It just takes more time than I have or want to spend right now.

So this year I'm working on just moving more. Moving a little bit each day and feeling good about it. I've been doing work out videos in the morning- but only for 15-20 minutes. I stop and get our morning going, but guess who keeps going? Easton! My four year old will finish the whole video without me. I love to see him picking up healthy habits because he saw my example. Hopefully I'll get the time and strength to do more, but I'm happy with anything.

So that is about it! I've been pretty successful in all of these changes so far because I'm trying to take baby steps rather than overhaul my whole life. And honestly the dietitian in me is proud. Small changes for the win. 

If you want to add a probiotic to your daily routine you can find out more about the one I am using here, on Twitter @insyncprobiotic and on Facebook.

What healthy changes are you working on? I'd love to hear your ideas for making healthy changes into habits!