Dietitians' Top 10 Diet Tips

We all know it's a challenge to eat healthfully in our drive-through, junk-food world. But what about those people who make a living urging folks to improve their diets? How do they manage to pull it off themselves? I asked a sampling of dietitians from all over the country how they eat well despite life's challenges, and they shared some favorite diet tips that they use in their own lives.

Diet Tip No. 1: Enjoy Fast Food Weekly, but Make Smart Choices

This is one of my own favorite tips on how to live in the real world as a dietitian and mother and still aim for healthy eating most of the time. When my now 16-year-old was in kindergarten, I started bringing lunch to my two daughters on Fridays when I had volunteer duty at the school -- and "fast-food Friday" was born. My girls are now in high school, and believe it or not, I still do this. (Apparently, they're willing to brave the embarrassment of meeting their mom at the front of the school if it means getting a break from bag lunches.)

The way I see it, this is actually an exercise in moderation. By having it once a week, my girls are exposed to fast food, but it isn't standard fare. They've also learned how to make healthier fast-food choices -- fast-food Friday often consists of BBQ grilled chicken sandwiches on whole-grain buns, bean burritos, or vegetable-topped personal pizzas.

Diet Tip No. 2: Drink No More Than 1 Diet Soda a Day

You find soda everywhere in our culture, whether you're at a fast-food restaurant, gas station, vending machine, or a friend's house. Some people limit sugary drinks, but allow themselves boundless diet sodas. And considering that research has found that the number of calories we get from beverages has increased by more than 200 from 1965 to 2002, diet soda may seem like a great solution. But I would personally rather keep my intake of diet soda and its alternative sweeteners to about one per day. One benefit of that is more room for water and healthy green teas!

If you enjoy diet sodas, as I do, try limiting your intake to one can when you want it the most during the day (for me, that's right after lunch or midafternoon). So yes, you'll find diet sodas in this dietitian's refrigerator -- but you'll also find plenty of alternatives like mineral water, lots of tea options, freshly squeezed orange juice, and low-fat milk.

Diet Tip No. 3: Pizza Night!

Marcia Yamashiro, RD, a northern California dietitian who counsels people with eating disorders,  participates in a weekly "pizza night" with her family of four.

Sound surprising? The truth is that pizza can definitely be a better choice if topped with vegetables instead of fatty meats, and especially if you ask for extra pizza sauce (it's rich in phytochemicals from the tomatoes). Serve the slices with a green salad and/or some fresh fruit for a more balanced, fiber- and nutrient-rich meal.