Welcome to National Nutrition Month.  Every March, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association) spearheads a campaign to educate and inform the general public about the importance of Registered Dietitians (that’s me!) and of course, nutrition.  The 2012 theme is “Get Your Plate in Shape.”

Okay, so how do you get your plate in shape?  Here are some quick and easy tips:

• Watch Your Portion Size – Enjoy all foods, but try using a smaller plate and bowl – this will help to avoid oversize portions.  Limit eating out to 1-2 times per week, and then choose the lower calorie menu options.
• Make half your plate Vegetables – Try to eat a variety of different veggies, especially the ones with the bold colors – look for dark green, red, orange, etc.
• Vary your protein choices – Eat a variety of protein foods each week, such as poultry, eggs, seafood, beans and lentils.  If eating red meat, switch to the leaner varieties and limit it to one time per week.
• Reduce sodium – Read labels!  Choose lower sodium options and season foods with citrus, herbs and spices instead of salt.  Avoid salting your food before tasting it.
• Eat less high-fat foods – Choose ground turkey, chicken or extra-lean ground beef instead of regular ground beef.  Avoid hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in purchased foods and cook with olive, canola or grapeseed oil.  Instead of frying your food, grill, bake or broil them.
• Don’t drink your calories – Sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks, lemonade and fancy coffee drinks can all contain high amounts of sugar and calories. Women should limit sugar intake to no more than 24g per day and men 36g per day.  Don’t forget about alcohol, too.  For every 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer and 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, add another 100 calories (plus the mixers).
• Move more, sit less – A good rule to follow for you TV watchers is that you get to watch as many minutes of TV as you did exercise that day!  Start adding up how many minutes of TV you watch each week – I bet you can find some extra exercise time in there somewhere!  Recommended amount is 2.5 hours per week.
• Start Logging – Keeping a food and exercise journal is the key to both losing weight and keeping it off.  Acknowledging what you ate by writing it down, creates awareness and keeps you on track.  There are many phone apps out there to help you – my fitness pal and Livestrong are two popular choices.

If you’d like to get more information about National Nutrition Month, please visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics here:  http://www.eatright.org/Media/content.aspx?id=7849

Enjoy this month – the weather is getting warmer and the days a little longer; spring is on its way.  By following the above tips, your plate will not be the only thing that gets in shape – bathing suit, here we come!