Do you dread preparing your taxes this time of year?

We certainly do!  Should we claim our college-aged children as dependents?  What tax credits can – and should – we take?  How do we calculate capital gains (or losses) on that stock we bought years ago and have no idea what we paid for it?  It is all SO CONFUSING!

 

Would you believe us if we told you that more people said it is easier to prepare their taxes than to figure out how to eat healthy?

 

That is exactly what a food and health survey, conducted by the International Food Information Council Foundation, found – of just over 1,000 American adults, 52% said it is harder to figure out what they should be eating than figure out how to prepare their taxes.

WHAT?!

What makes it so challenging?  Is eating healthy really more confusing than doing our taxes?

There is no denying the fact that many people are confused about how much or what they should be eating.  In that same survey, 76% of participants said that it’s hard to know what to believe, in terms of nutrition advice, because the nutrition messages change so often.  It is also tempting for people to latch on to the latest and greatest fad diet or trend that shows up in the headlines (which is most likely someone trying to sell something).

Plus, there are literally thousands of products to choose from at the grocery store, most with health claims shouting at you from the front of the package.  We received a vivid reminder of this when doing our recent virtual grocery store tours of the nuts and nut butters sections and the breakfast aisle.  Talk about overwhelming!

 

As you know, we like to encourage people to…

…keep it simple and EAT REAL!

No diet!  No deprivation!

 

But how do you put this into practice every day?

Here are some quick reminders.  We thought it was a good time to share these again, and we also encourage you to share these with others who may be struggling with how to eat healthy.  Maybe you know a family member struggling to hang on to their New Year’s resolution, or maybe a friend wanting to make a change in anticipation of the warmer weather ahead…whatever the reason, please feel free to share these tips!

 

• Start by focusing on REAL food!  This means filling your pantry and shopping cart with REAL ingredients to make REAL meals.  And, buy from local farms whenever possible.

 

• Learn to read ingredient labels.  Focus on ingredients and let the nutrients take care of themselves.  Be mindful of serving sizes, but don’t obsess about them.

 

• Make meals at home.  Remember…one meal at a time!  If you have picky eaters, it can be challenging but is important to set a good example.

 

• Planning is key!  Try to avoid getting stuck with pre-packaged unhealthy snacks or vending machine options — check out this planning coaching tip which includes a link to a meal planning calendar.  And, let the slow cooker and “planned-over meals” be your stress-relievers on busy weeknights.

 

• Make it a priority.  Believe it or not, once you commit to making eating REAL food a priority, it starts to become second nature.

 

• Learn how to enjoy a wide a variety of vegetables in different ways!  Roasting, grilling and spiralizing are excellent ideas.  Get out of the box and try new things!

 

The most important thing to remember (does it sound like we are on repeat?)…keep it simple and EAT REAL FOOD!  As one of our favorite authors, Michael Pollan, says…“Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.”

When it comes to your taxes, “the worst thing you can do is nothing at all!”  None of us want to face those consequences!

Interesting…this is the same message when it comes to eating healthy…if you don’t make an effort to care for your health and how you are nourishing your body, then the same message applies…

“the worst thing you can do is nothing at all!”

 

 

 

What is your opinion?  Do you think eating healthy is more difficult than preparing your taxes?

 

Is there someone you can help by focusing them on the three simple words — EAT REAL FOOD!