Williams made other substitutions that didn’t require a lot of time and effort. She ordered in less and cooked more grilled chicken and fish. She traded regular pastas for noodles made of cauliflower or zucchini, and swapped ice cream for yogurt smoothies topped with fruit and granola. Instead of juice boxes, she invested in a water cooler.
The efforts paid off. She and her husband are getting back in shape, and their daughters adapted surprisingly easily to eating more whole foods. (It helps that her girls don’t realize they’re eating veggie noodles, not traditional pasta.)
They’ve even started to enjoy cooking themselves. “Now if the kids want pizza, we’ll make it together in a healthier way,” Williams says.
CR’s Advice
In CR’s survey, 22 percent of people said they were eating healthier now than they were a year ago. But almost a third reported weight gain, and in that group, 37 percent said their eating habits had worsened.
As the Williamses experienced, spending so much time at home—with the fridge only steps away—can blur the boundaries around food, says Lisa Young, PhD, a nutrition and food studies expert at New York University. “When people have less structure in their day and more access to the kitchen, it leads to more snacking and nibbling,” she says. Though it can be hard to change and adopt new habits, a little planning can help.
Create a schedule. That includes general times for three meals and one or two snacks. To keep everyone in check, post a schedule and maybe even set a timer for the kids. Knowing when you’ll be eating again can fend off the urge to snack on empty calories.
Make it easier to grab a healthy snack. Put together individual snack packs in advance, preferably with some protein, carbs, and fat, which can help keep you full.
Don’t use takeout as an excuse to eat unhealthy food. Order dishes with lean protein, plenty of vegetables, and whole grains. If you just can’t bypass more indulgent fare, get one decadent dish to share, and round out the meal with healthier picks. Go for the small pizza, for example, but also order a salad, grilled fish, and sautéed vegetables. Serve everyone a portion of each dish.
Plan your treats. “I call it delay, don’t deprive,” Young says. Know that you’re going to get your coveted food at an appointed time in the day. “Depriving yourself completely backfires,” she says, because it often leads to overindulgence at the wrong times.
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January 06, 2021 at 06:03PM
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Eat Healthier, Even During a Pandemic - ConsumerReports.org
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