Wellness Wake Up Call
Building Healthy Habits for Life
Good morning. This is your Wellness Wake-Up Call with University of Illinois Extension.
This month, we’ve been celebrating National Nutrition Month, focusing on the importance of building healthy eating habits throughout our lives. Healthy habits often start in childhood and can last a lifetime, but if you didn’t develop these habits as a child, don’t worry—you can start at any age!
Here are three healthy habits you can start today:
- Plan ahead: Deciding what’s for dinner each night can be stressful, whether preparing meals for one or an entire family. Planning meals for the week reduces stress, prevents impulse purchasing, and can saves time and money.
- Make healthy foods easy to choose: Kids, like adults, will eat what is available at home, school, or work. So, be intentional about what foods you have on hand. Stock your home with fruits, vegetables, and lean or plant-based proteins. Prep these foods so they’re ready to grab when hunger strikes.
- Limit fast food and ultra-processed foods: Reducing these foods helps cut added sugars, excess salt, and trans-fat. You don’t need to eliminate them entirely, but cutting back can make a significant difference. Think of these foods as sometimes foods rather than everyday foods.
Being intentional about the foods available to you and others in your home is key to developing healthy habits. This week, plan your meals, keep healthy foods accessible, and limit ultra-processed foods.
Thank you for listening! I hope you have a happy and healthy day ahead. Content for this episode was provided by Diane Reinhold, nutrition and wellness educator for University of Illinois Extension.
