What’s Stopping You From Eating Right?

By Sally Kuzemchack, R.D.

You don’t need a nutritionist to tell you that your body looks and feels its best on a steady diet of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean protein. That’s a no-brainer. But even though you know better, you probably often come up with some reason to skip healthy foods in favor of less-nutritious ones. (In fact, one-third of adults say they do it routinely, according to a survey by the American Dietetic Association.) Maybe it’s your crazy schedule, killer cravings, or the fat-packed holiday goodies that your mom sent home with you that are to blame. But for every eat-right obstacle, there are easy solutions. We asked nutrition experts to help you find a way around the most common diet hurdles— and give you practical advice on how to jump-start a healthy eating plan you’ll want to stick to every day, no excuses.

“Vegetables taste so blah when I make them myself at home.”

“The major mistakes people make when preparing vegetables are overcooking and underseasoning them,” says Connie Guttersen, R.D., Ph.D., an instructor at the Culinary

Institute of America in St. Helena, California, and author of The Sonoma Diet. So whether you steam, sauté, or grill, cut back a little on your usual cooking time (veggies should still have some crispness when you remove them from the heat). Then, toss them in what chefs call a finishing sauce, and season. For a quick sauce, try this vinaigrette:

Whisk equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a ½ teaspoon each of minced garlic and mustard. Top off your dish with a sprinkle of toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds or fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, or chives.

“I wish I had time to cook, but takeout is the only thing that works with my insane schedule.

Pick up a healthy main course and add quick sides at home. On days dieters eat out, they consume 226 more calories and 10 extra grams of fat, according to a study from the University of Texas at Austin. So try this smart twist: Head to the supermarket instead. If you look carefully, you’ll find several healthy options. Buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and serve it with five-minute whole-wheat couscous and frozen vegetables you make at home. (If you’re really time-crunched, grab veggies from the salad bar.) Or try a grilled salmon fillet from the prepared-foods section with a bagged salad and quinoa, a high-protein whole grain that’s ready to eat in 15 minutes. “Just steer clear of the ready-made casseroles, pasta dishes, and mayo-based salads,” says Elizabeth Ward, R.D., author of The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to the New Food Pyramids. “They tend to pack in hidden calories.”

Want a lighter meal? “Try a whole-grain roll and a broth-based soup from the deli counter (it’s lower in sodium than canned soup because it doesn’t need salt as a preservative), then toss in extra veggies or canned beans at home,” says Malia Curran, a nutrition consultant for Whole Foods Market.