14 Health Tips in 7 Days From a Registered Dietitian

From showing members how to eat better to building sustainable habits, at Profile our certified coaches and registered dietitians are here to educate others on living their healthiest lifestyle yet. If need some quick tips or inspiration to help keep you going on your health and wellness journey, check out our 14 Health Tips in 7 Days series featuring Profile's Registered Dietitian, Alyssa.

1. Focus on NSV as a Way to Measure your Progress

If you aren't a Profile Member, you may not know what non-scale victories are. For Profile, a weight loss journey isn’t just about the number on the scale. Non-scale victories (NSV) are our way of paying attention to how you feel and the things you notice off the scale such as mood improvements, physical health, food behaviors. These areas are just as important in your weight loss journey. Need an example? Read about how Profile member Haley loses weight and fits back into her wedding dress.

2. Get Your Body Moving

Moving your body is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. The benefits include enhanced mood, improved concentration, reduced stress, a boost in energy, better sleep, and much more. Alyssa shares some creative ideas for you to get moving and make exercise a part of your everyday:

"Don't just go to the gym for an hour every day. Really find movement that you enjoy doing. Whether it's going on a walk with a friend or to a yoga class, taking a hike with the family, going on strolls with your coworker. It's simply just finding movement that you enjoy and can really make a part of your routine."

Watch Tips 1 & 2:

3. Build New Habits

To build new habits it is very important to understand how habits are actually formed. Have you ever heard of a habit loop? For a habit to form, a habit loop should occur. This consists of three things:

1. A trigger or cue
2. The behavior or routine
3. The reward

“When you are able to identify those cues and rewards surrounding that behavior, you are going to be more successful in actually making those habits stick for the long term."

Click here to learn how to form new habits in 4 easy steps.

4. Meal Plan, Meal Plan, Meal Plan!

Planning out your meals helps fill your week with nutritious foods that fuel your body and give you a rock-solid plan for getting healthy meals on the table. But when life is busy, planning healthy meals and adhering to a diet plan can be a struggle. That's why we put together a convenient and FREE guide just for you. Check out our ultimate meal prepping guide that is full of tips and tricks that can help you become a pro meal planner in no time.

Watch Tips 3 & 4:

5. Create a Mindful Dining Out Experience

To make sure your dining out experience is a mindful one, focus on creating a nutrient dense dish. Here are a few tips on making this happen:

1. Fill up on fiber by choosing wholegrain foods
2. Add color to your plate by loading up on lots of veggies and fruits 
3. Pick a lean protein

While trying to lose weight, restaurant food can be both tempting and difficult. However, you may find that there are more options than you think! Read more tips on how to dine out, Profile style.

6. Be Present, Eat with Your Senses & Be Grateful

When considering how to eat out while still staying healthy and maintaining weight loss, it is important to recognize more than what is on your plate.  

"Really take some time to just put away your phone and all distractions. Enjoy the company that you are in front of. Then eat with your senses. Really take in the sights and smells of your food."

Watch Tips 5 & 6:

7. Gain Support From Those Around You

At Profile, we like to bring your friends and family into your weight loss journey for the support they offer. Sometimes, it can be scary, difficult, or impossible to bring up certain thoughts with your “support” system, but real social support should help you achieve and maintain your goals.

"Research shows that people are more successful at achieving health goals when they gain support from people in their lives."

It is important to build a support network. You can do this by reflecting on who is in your corner currently and who you might need to be successful. It could be your health coach, exercise buddy, a family member, friend, or even co-worker! In the blog series of what's real or not real, Profile’s Coach of Coaches, Chris Clark, brings the realness about social support and how those you are closest to impact your journey. Read the article here!

8. Don't Let Events Derail Your Health Goals

Before attending an event, think about your health goals and potential barriers you might encounter. Then brainstorm ways you can overcome these challenges. 

"This will help you rid that all-or-nothing mentality that if I slip up then it's just going to ruin my health goals."

Don't let yourself feel guilty about having fun! Be a social butterfly AND stay healthy at the same time. Read our three tips to help you stay on track during social events.

Watch Tips 7 & 8:

9. Practice Managing Your Stress

Life is complicated and the struggle with stress is REAL! According to an American Psychological Association survey, nearly one-fourth of Americans rate their stress levels at an 8 or more on a 10 point scale. And when your body is under stress, your appetite increases and it becomes harder to sleep. It’s no wonder that we “stress eat” and gain weight when the stressors of life come at us hard. While some stress is healthy, as it stimulates growth, creativity, and change, too much stress caninterfere with our ability to function. A few recommended tips to manage stress are meditation, self-talk, and breathing exercises.

"One simple breathing exercise involves simply breathing through your nose until your lungs are full, holding that for about 3 to 5 seconds and then slowly release and do that 10 times."

If maintaining weight, reducing stress, and living healthy was as easy as knowledge from experts who educate us on how to live our lives, there would be no weight concerns among us. The reality is that things are much more complex and nuanced than that. The key to living a healthy lifestyle is getting a handle on our stress levels, emotions, and how we think about and consume food. Discover the simple formula that can help you stop stress before it starts and learn the 3 ways you can de-stress to avoid a bad attitude.

10. Make Sure You are Getting Those Zzz's

Sleep and weight loss go hand in hand. Not enough rest can interfere with our health and lead to impulsive, unhealthy food choices. Did you know roughly one in every four U.S. adults reports inadequate sleep or rest at least 15 days every month?! Two recommendations to aid in better sleep are to avoid caffeine after noon and use dim or red light before bed as it can help simulate circadian rhythms for better sleep. 

For more strategies to get you “REM-ing it up,” check out our 5 ways to get great rest. You can also get access to the ULTIMATE guide on sleep for weight loss, a downloadable resource filled with education and easy tips you can apply to start slumbering the night away with some high-quality Zzz’s.

Watch Tips 9 & 10:

11. Overcome Self-Sabotage

Do you make health goals at the beginning of the week and by Wednesday, you’ve already thrown in the towel? Find that you say one thing and then turn around & do the opposite?

If you find yourself holding yourself back or getting in your way when it comes to reaching your health goals, you may be self-sabotaging. Self-sabotage is often a misalignment of your core values. By taking the time to identify what is most important to you, you’ll find it is easier to align your behaviors with the goals you want to achieve. Get FREE access to the Overcoming Self-Sabotage webinar to learn more about how to define your core values related to health and to better understand how those values can help you make micro-changes to reach your goals.

12. Love Your Body Inside and Out

The way you think about, feel, and relate to your body is very important. How you view yourself in your mind or when looking at yourself in a mirror or picture is your body image. It’s important to reflect on how you can improve the way you relate to your body.

"Improving body image is an intentional practice that takes effort and time. And even with that work, bad body days still happen."

Here are 7 ways you can practice self-love today:

1. Practice gratitude
2. Keep a list of 10 things you like about yourself
3. Remember that your health extends beyond what’s physical
4. Find a positive support system
5. Quiet your inner critic
6. Evaluate your social media intake
7. Practice self-care

Watch Tips 11 & 12:

13. Practice Mindful Eating

Mindfulness is a state of being that focuses on the present moment—being aware and accepting of your thoughts, feelings, and messages from your body. Did you know you can also apply this to eating? When you practice mindful eating, it can have a positive impact on your emotional and physical health, your relationship with food, and ultimately, your weight. 

Let’s practice mindful eating! Grab a small piece of food and notice the colors, shapes, and textures of the food. Next, smell the food and slowly take a small bite, but do not chew or swallow it yet. Notice the feeling and taste, and then begin to chew. When you’re ready, slowly swallow the food and then note any lingering tastes. Then, ask yourself – would I like another bite or am I satisfied? Repeating these steps can help bring awareness to your eating habits.

There are so many benefits to mindful eating that can improve your overall health. Learn what they are and how they can help you lose weight.

14. Increase Self Compassion

Show yourself love and kindness! Self-compassion is treating yourself with the same compassion you offer others. When you are being critical, an easy practice is to think about a single word or phrase that can provide some compassionate and positive self talk. You then can write this word on a sticky note and put it somewhere that you can see daily. Maybe your bathroom mirror? You could even create a phone background and make this word your home screen!

"Increased self-compassion is associated with greater levels of satisfaction, optimism, and body acceptance"

Download this FREE self-compassion guide to learn how to turn your inner critic into your biggest supporter.

Watch Tips 13 & 14: