By Lexi Eisele, Director of Nutrition Services, Mama’s Kitchen

There’s never a bad time to change your eating habits, and with February being Heart Health Month, it’s a great opportunity to commit yourself to healthier habits. The key, though, is developing healthy habits that will last long-term.

Changing your eating habits can be a rewarding journey, even if it comes with its challenges. Embracing healthier choices often encourages creativity, brings refreshing changes to your routine, and invites you to be more intentional about your meals, whether at home or when dining out. While it might take some extra effort, the benefits to your overall health make it a worthwhile and empowering experience.

Here are some tips that can help you kick off your goals with a healthy and balanced lifestyle, without the need to resort to fad diets or other “quick fixes” that typically don’t support long-term health.

Add Variety to Your Diet

Variety is the spice of life, but also your diet. Mixing up your meal and snack choices will help you introduce new foods to your regimen while ensuring your body is consistently getting the nutrients needed to maintain your health.

A simple way to build balanced meals is by creating a plate that’s mainly vegetables, with the remainder of the plate being protein and carbohydrates. Lean meats like chicken or turkey and plant-based proteins such as beans, lentils, or tofu are excellent options to include in your routine. However, just because your meal is balanced, does not mean it has to be boring. For example, if you rely on chicken, rice, and steamed broccoli as a weeknight go-to, instead try broccolini roasted with olive oil and garlic, and maybe even swapping out the plain rice with a warm Mediterranean whole grain couscous dish (thanks to Pinterest for this idea– it’s a great hub to find fun, easy, and new healthy recipes!).

Not only does this variety help give your body more nutrients to use, but it keeps your meal routines more interesting, making your new habits more exciting and easier to maintain. You’ll find sticking to a strictly regimented and repetitive plan is much harder than having the flexibility to mix up ingredients.

Eat Slowly, With Intention

Eating is not just a necessity, it is also a daily part of our routines that can be combined with other relaxing activities like watching TV. While these types of activities can be important for your mental health, viewing eating as an auxiliary task while relaxing is a slippery slope that can derail any healthy habits you have developed.

Instead, try to set aside 15 to 20 minutes to focus solely on your meal. This will allow you to be more intentional about your eating and make it harder for you to over- or under-eat. Eating slowly also improves digestion, leads to better nutrient absorption, and helps avoid indigestion and heartburn.

Your body typically needs more time to signal to the brain that you are full, so eating slowly gives your stomach an extra opportunity to let your mind know it is time to stop eating. This slower eating will give you a much better sense of appropriate portion sizes, helping you avoid overindulging and reducing potential food waste.

Have Fun Cooking Healthy Meals at Home

Life can be busy, and while eating out or ready-to-eat meals at the grocery store can be convenient, making meals at home is the best way to stay on track with healthy habits. While there certainly are healthy options for eating out, most of these “quick meals” typically exceed the daily recommended intake of sodium as they rely more heavily on sauces and pre-packaged ingredients. They are also typically higher in unhealthy fats like lard and butter.

While these ingredients do enhance the flavors of meals, they are not good for our heart health. Eating out on occasion is one thing, but it is best to cook at home more often than not because you can be entirely in control of the ingredients that go into your meal, allowing you to be more mindful of what you are eating all while helping you figure out the recipes that don’t sacrifice taste for health. Get creative and have fun with recipes – experiment with different herbs and spices, cook with olive oil, find some in-season vegetables, and spruce up your plate with a garnish (like basil leaves or fresh parsley) to make your finished meal more visually appealing.

Be Kind to Yourself, Give Yourself Some Grace

Making any lifestyle change is hard, but changing your eating habits is especially challenging. Eating is more than a bodily function; it’s a cultural staple and a source of enjoyment for many. Sometimes, making healthier choices can feel like denying yourself dinner nights with friends or the comfort food that soothes your mind after a long day.

It’s important to give yourself the leeway to eat foods in moderation and to allow yourself to have some freedom from time to time. Food does not need to be black or white at all times– expecting yourself to completely cut out the foods you love and the eating experiences that bring you joy is as unrealistic as it is unhelpful.

As you embrace these new habits, remember that healthy eating is about balance, enjoyment, and sustainability. Focus on nourishing your body with wholesome foods while leaving room for the treats and experiences that make life joyful. Small, consistent steps can lead to lasting habits, so celebrate your progress along the way and be kind to yourself in the process.

Lexi Eisele is the director of nutrition services at Mama’s Kitchen, a San Diego non-profit that delivers medically tailored meals to people with critical illnesses. She earned a BS in Applied Nutrition from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and completed her dietetic internship at Simmons University.