Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? So, what does this mean for you?

You can simply get on board by using this month to improve one (or some!) of your eating habits. 28 days is the perfect amount of time to retrain your brain, allowing you to break old habits and create new ones. Choose one of your bad diet habits and vow to consciously change it for the rest of the month. By April, your bad habit will be broken! You’ll be energized since most bad eating and exercise habits are energy zappers! Here are a few suggestions we have for habits to change:

• Cut out soda. Drink water for the rest of the month. If you need something with a little more flavor, add a splash of lemon, lime, cucumber or orange. You’ll cut calories and chemicals from your diet and feel better all around from hydrating with water.
• Swap out your white bread and refined grains for whole grains. It’s a simple change that will have a huge impact. Time to kiss energy crashes from the refined carbs good-bye!
• Cut back on salt, especially at restaurants. Sodium is necessary for proper cell function, but nowadays we consume way more sodium than necessary. For the rest of the month, aim to consume less salt. Cut some salt out of recipes, use low sodium sauces and dressings, stop adding salt to meals at the table – especially if you’re at a restaurant and ask them to use less salt. Learn to love foods for their natural flavors, not because they’re covered in salt.
• Substitute your evening snack (cookies, ice cream, brownies, etc) with one or two pieces of fresh fruit.
• Cut out candy for a month. Although it might be hard to fight off the cravings at first, by the end of the month, you won’t miss the extra sugar.
• Switch from whole milk to low-fat or fat-free milk. After a few days, you won’t be able to taste the difference! But you’ll notice that you feel lighter and more energetic!
• Only eat if you’re sitting at the table. This means no snacking at your desk, in front of the TV, or in front of the cabinet. It will make you more mindful of what you’re eating and how much you eat.
• Eat one side salad a day with a light dressing such as olive oil and vinegar. It’s a simple way to up your daily intake of veggies!
• Cook dinner at home every day for the rest of the month. There are so many hidden calories in restaurant meals, making it tricky for even the most nutrition-savvy person to make healthy choices. Cooking at home puts you in control of what goes into your meals and therefore into your body.
• Eat smaller portioned meals (think big snacks) more frequently. This will keep your metabolism fired up all day and prevent you from becoming famished.
• Add some exercise every day. Okay, we know this isn’t a diet tip, but we all know exercise is an important factor when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Adding some sort of physical activity, even if it’s only 15 minutes a day, can improve your health!

Not only will improving your diet improve your health, it will also give you more energy! What diet habit do you want to change? Remember, you can do anything you put your mind to (especially if it’s only for 28 days)!