How to reorganize your loved ones on the right diet. Says the psychologist

The process of switching to a healthy diet for other family members, especially those who do not plan to do so, cannot be a quick process. Especially if the original diet was far from healthy. It is important to answer the questions: “Why do I need my loved ones to eat a balanced diet?”, “Do I follow healthy eating principles myself?”, “What is healthy eating in my mind?”.

Nutritional Behavior Consultant, Program Manager at the Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis

Healthy eating is not only the choice of “right” foods, but also a healthy relationship with food, in which there is no place for violence, persistent persuasion or unpalatable food.

What is a healthy eating pattern

• The diet consists of 80% healthy foods from all food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, lean meats and other types of protein, vegetable fats, dairy products) and 20% from any other food. This avoids restrictions and breakdowns.

• A leisurely, quiet meal (perhaps with family) without gadgets, but with pleasant conversation.

• Predominantly food prepared with your own hands.

• Varied and tasty food.

• No negative comments about appearance, food choices, appetite of loved ones, etc.

How to switch your family to a healthy diet

If you want to make the whole family’s diet healthier, start with small changes, gradually introducing healthy habits. For example, gradually introduce more vegetables into your diet, make them affordable and tasty. You can cook them first and add them to trail mix meals.

Afterward, add fresh vegetables in salads or cuts. Let your table and refrigerator have ready-made appetizers of slices of carrots, celery, bell peppers with sauce, which can easily be snacked on between main meals.

You can put washed fruit in the center of the table instead of a vase of cookies or sweets. Keep frozen berries in the refrigerator so they can be added to other dishes.

Start buying whole-grain bread instead of white bread. Try different types of bread to find the right options for everyone in the family.

Choose lean meats such as beef, veal, chicken, and turkey. Add more fish and seafood to your diet. This can be fatty fish from the salmon family twice a week.

Reduce the amount of oil in salads and cooking. Your loved ones will not even notice that there is less of it.

If a family member doesn’t like some foods, try cooking them in a different form. For example, instead of raw cabbage make stewed, instead of fried fish – fish cutlets, instead of a piece of beef – minced meat with cereals.

If someone categorically refuses to eat some types of products, do not insist. A person has the right to his own preferences.

Simplify food preparation as much as possible: freeze vegetables, cereals, cutlets, meat, broths, boil eggs for several days at once. Set an example and involve your loved ones in cooking, discuss the taste of foods, new finds, sauces, encourage new food discoveries.

It is also important to put water everywhere and offer it to your loved ones.

In between, you can talk about what you’ve learned about different food styles or foods.

Try not to be intimidated by information about food or weight, but be positive: any vegetables improve the gastrointestinal tract, make the microbiota in the gut more diverse, and it is connected to immunity. The more diverse and richer the intestinal microbiota, the better the body resists viruses.

Of course, we can’t monitor our loved ones around the clock and at every meal. Remember that the process of changing eating behavior can be a long one and even small steps are important. If you improve even breakfast or dinner, that’s already a big step. When it comes to food, don’t judge or criticize, but encourage, gently inform and lead by example.