Nutrition Month Ask-a-Dietitian: How do I support healthy eating choices at home?

Your home environment is key to supporting you in achieving your goals.  We may make healthy choices away from home, while at work, or school, but how do we stay on track during the evening hours when we’re home?  Check out my latest Ask-a-Dietitian question, suggestions, and tips to support you this month!

Question: How do I stay away from sugar at home?

This is such a common question, and one that will really make you look at your home kitchen environment, how it’s set up, and possibly what you’re eating throughout the day. It is very common for working individuals to go out to work in the day, bring a packed lunch, or the intention to choose something ‘healthy’ at the cafeteria, and then come home to a craving of sugar, sugar, and more sugar.

So, though we know we tend to include too much sugar in our diet, we need to remind ourselves of a few things here:

1. We need sugar – it is our primary source of fuel, for our brain, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and to power through a workout. What we need to remind ourselves of are to include the natural sources of sugar most often from 100% whole grains, fruits, milk and yogurt, vegetables and beans and legumes to name a few of the go-to’s. The added sugars and processed sugars – though we can’t annihilate them from our food system, we truly need to remind ourselves that a diet loaded in these types of sugars will not serve us justice in the long-term.
2. Often times when you restrict certain energy sources (ie. Carbohydrates), we are more highly sensitive to these foods and want them even more.
3. Are you eating enough throughout the day? It is very common for people to limit calories during the day, and then come home to a desire to eat anything and everything with sugar, and often times, a very large quantity…so much for our great choices throughout the day right.

So, what can we do to support a healthy balanced diet and ensure we aren’t sending a surge of sugar into our bodies at times they may not need it, counteracted with a surge of insulin?  Brian Wansink has done a load of research out of Cornell University that has eluded to certain food, health and weight behaviours and strategies to help us overcome negative habits while instilling healthy habits and environments (though I don’t care for the amount of times he uses the F*$-word, the results are helpful).  Here are a few things to consider!

1. Set up your environment for success! We love the new open-concept kitchen and home layouts right? And they’re beautiful don’t get me wrong. However there are certain things that belong in the kitchen and certain things that are meant for other rooms:
   1. Is your kitchen a “loungy” environment. Researchers found that if the kitchen was more inviting, and loungy (work stations in the kitchen, televisions in the kitchen, or couches), then you may consume extra calories, as you are faced with food triggers more often.  Are you really hungry is what you could try asking yourself before you reach for that food.
   2. What’s on your kitchen counter? When you walk into your kitchen, are there plates of cookies or chocolates inviting you to come play? Or do you have some fresh fruit displayed for great snack ideas.
2. Do you encounter the ‘Fridge Stare’ when you get home? You walk in, forget anything and everything you’re doing and just open up the fridge and stare at it for a few minutes waiting for the most enticing thing to jump out at you. What does your fridge look like on the inside? I get there are veggie and fruit drawers, but what good are those hidden away. Put your go-to snacks and meal prep items at eye level. Store the goodies in the drawers. You’ll be more inclined to reach for the good-stuff. Also, if this is a common practice in your day (Get home, drop and run for the fridge stare), place a list of healthy snack ideas on your fridge to support you, topping it with water, because most often, we are not truly hungry – we are thirsty.
3. What is your pantry stocked with, and where is it located relative to your eating environment? Out of sight, out of mind right? Basement pantrys are great, and require you to do a little bit of stair climbing to get to the treat. Or top shelf in the back of your kitchen cupboards. I recently came across a bag of Twizzlers that I had bought for a social media prompt of my favourite pink foods. When I opened my cupboard the other day, I said to myself, “Oh right, I forgot those were there”! Had they been on my counter, the bag would have probably been gone. Oh yes, I fall into this too! That’s why I’ve taken time to set my kitchen environment up for success.

Once again, at the end of the day, we need to find the right balance of foods we need, in the right balance, at the right time of day to ensure our fuel is set up successfully, and we can do the things we love without food on our mind all of the time. Sitting down with a registered dietitian will help you sort out your individual needs, especially if you are faced with other health concerns, so that you can be successful in reaching all of your goals.

But start with the above – that’ll really show you how focused you are about making the changes, and are guaranteed to bring success into your life!