Dietitians Eat Paczki Too

 We are recycling another blog post, because it’s National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and this message is too IMPORTANT to miss:

The quality of your overall diet is MORE important than any one food or meal you eat!

I hear it all the time, "You’re eating that? I thought dietitians ate healthy!” Guess what?  We're human too, which means our diets are not always picture perfect.  I think I speak for most nutrition professionals when I say “the quality of your diet is not defined by any one food or meal”.

Do NOT let one meal, one snack, or even a weekend splurge define you, your lifestyle, or your diet.  Eating well is a way of life, it isn't a diet or something you do for a little while until you lose weight or hit your goals and then go back to old habits again.

That said, I eat paczki…  And I enjoy every single bite.  When I eat foods like this I go for quality over quantity.  I chose my paczki this year by reading an article on MLive about where to find the best paczki in the Ann Arbor area.  I wanted to find paczki made from scratch with real, fresh ingredients.  I chose Weber's based on the article's suggestions.  Let me tell you... they were awesome!  I'm very satisfied with my choice.  I'll also be returning next year.

Now that I'm done drooling over my memory of how delicious that paczki was, I'm going right back to my normal way of eating.  I'll be focusing on a plant based diet of many fruits & veggies, whole grains, beans, herbs & spices, and limited amounts of dairy, meat, & fish.  I also always limit processed foods, additives, colorings, preservatives, sodium and sugar.

I challenge you to do the same.  Fill your everyday-plate with nutritious foods that you enjoy but don't forget that simple, delicious pleasures like a paczki once in a while doesn't necessarily mean you're "cheating".  It just means you're practicing self-control and enjoying comfort foods at the same time. Your diet is not defined by the least nutritious foods you choose to eat... it's the sum of everything you choose to consume that counts!

Pro Tip: Boosting your fruits and vegetables is EASY. Follow these easy tips and you’ll be eating more nutrient dense foods in no time! (1) Keep it colorful! Choose fruits and vegetables of a variety of color. (2)  Add it on! If your favorite dish/food is missing a fruit/ veggie, incorporate one. (3) Mix it up! Fresh, frozen, dried, hot, cold, steamed, baked, smoothies, popsicles… There are so many ways to eat, love, and enjoy your fruits and vegetables.
 
So, what’s your favorite splurge and how do you "recover" and go back to "normal"?

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