9 Nutritionists Diet Tips Small Diet Changes that Make a Big Difference

No pain — no gain, right?

Wrong.

There is a reason why crash diets seldom work. Very few people can make a dramatic lifestyle change overnight and then stick to it. For the rest of us, small but meaningful changes can make all the difference.

It is proven that consistent changes in dietary patterns bring long-term health benefits — no matter how tiny the change is.

Because — and we won’t get tired of saying this —

Little things can add up to make a big difference.

Last week, we asked 9 of our favorite nutritionists and healthy living experts: “If you could only give someone ONE small diet tip that can lead to big changes, what would it be?”

Here are nutritionist diet tips you can rely on.

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9 Nutritionist Diet Tips

1. Kayleigh Christina Clark, health & nutrition coach, kayleighchristina.com:

Eat a breakfast full of protein, greens, fiber, and fats! (not talking about running out of the house with a granola bar).

This is so much easier than you think! It can be as simple as a smoothie — my favorite Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie, Double Dark Chocolate Smoothie, Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding, or whipping up some eggs, spinach, avocado, and optional chicken sausage. All of these breakfasts can be made the night before and then kept in the fridge until you leave for work in the morning, so there is no excuse for “I didn’t have enough time.”

A breakfast filled with protein, fats, and fiber will keep you energized and full for longer. These nutritionist diet tips help you balance your hunger hormones and lead you to make better decisions throughout the day!

2. Rachael Hartley, RD, private practice dietitian and blogger at The Joy of Eating:

Eat foods you love, including those you might think are “bad.” Allow yourself to savor foods that you love! Cutting out foods makes you want them more, and while you might be able to go without them for a short period when you inevitably eat the “bad” food, you’ll end up eating a lot more than you would have.

3. Rachel Kelts, healthy eating & wellness specialist, Pure Love Raw:

Getting healthy has nothing to do with dieting. Dieting implies restriction and deprivation. Those experiences bind you to feel short-changed. Getting healthy is the opposite. We forget that discipline is a virtue. Being disciplined means that we do what we love.

This nutritionist diet tip has proven that consistent dietary patterns bring long-term health benefits — no matter how tiny the change is.

For example, I’m a runner and am currently training for a half marathon. People say, “How can you run 13 miles? I could never do that”. For me, who loves running, I say, “How can I not?”

Being healthy is similar because it also requires discipline. When you start to feed your body what it wants, you experience noticeable changes. Eventually, you can’t imagine eating any other way. Better sleep, stronger constitution, clearer skin, and brighter eyes, but the best part about practicing virtue is that it leads to greater peace, compassion, and joy.

While it’s easy to eat the same thing day in and day out (especially for breakfast and lunch), changing things up can make a healthy diet more exciting and interesting. More importantly, eating various healthy foods makes it easier to ensure you consume adequate essential nutrients. For this nutritionist diet tip, use the maximum amount of nutrients, and choose plant foods such as:

• leafy greens (kale, Romaine lettuce, collards, etc.)
• cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.)
• whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, bulger, etc.)
• legumes (beans, peas, snow peas, lentils, etc.)
• fruit (fresh or frozen)
• starchy vegetables (sweet potatoes, winter squash, etc.)
• non-starchy vegetables (cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, etc.)
• nuts and seeds (almonds, brazil nuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.)

5. Lindsay Cotter, nutrition specialist, gluten-free food blogger, CotterCrunch.com:

My one tip? Study yourself what your body is saying/craving, and then feed it with wholesome foods. Don’t follow fad diets. Also, be sure to rest and digest with your meal times.

6. Kia Nesmith, founder and health coach at Simply Wellness:

Nesmith’s diet tip: remember that FAT is NOT the enemy! Most people realize that to be healthy; vegetables need to be a mainstay of your diet (the best carbohydrate there is!). And that protein is also critical (for building and maintaining strong muscles, bones, and red blood cells). But for so long, we have been bombarded with an anti-fat campaign that has many people afraid of eating fat.

However, fat is incredibly important and should not be overlooked. The 3 key facts about fat are: (1) Fat is required for the body to absorb and use any fat-soluble vitamin (i.e., vitamin D, A, E, K & F). (2) The correct combination of fats can help reduce your body’s inflammatory response, thereby helping to reduce your risk of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. (3) Your brain is at least 60 percent fat. Without healthy fat in your diet, your brain won’t have the necessary fatty acids to function and thrive — leading to brain fog, a sluggish brain, and even low brain function and disorders.

The bottom line is: make sure you’re getting enough healthy fats in your diet — at least 1 serving every time you eat!

7. Katie, healthy eating & fitness blogger, Gettin’ My Healthy On:

My only diet tip; make it homemade. It’s a small lifestyle change that can make a big difference simply because you have more control over your eating. You don’t have to be an amazing chef to make tasty, nutritious meals. (One of my favorite easy meals to throw together is burrito bowls.) Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration if you need recipe ideas.

Simply reducing the number of times, you go out to eat within a week or month can make reaching your health goals significantly easier. Plus, it can be fun to experiment with fresh ingredients, and you might even discover you enjoy cooking!

8. Adrienne, Whole New Mom (where research-based healthy living information and special diets meet):

Keep the junk out of the house and focus on how you eat, not a diet, but a way to care for the one body you have been given.

You’ve only been given one body—one life. It’s precious. So treat your body as if it’s the only one you have—because it is. Your body and your loved ones will thank you! Make good choices at the store, and healthy options will surround you.

9. Tobias Sjösten, CrossFit L1 Trainer, BJJ practitioner, Athlegan:

The only meal you can control is the one you’re just about to eat. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you can let this one slip as long as you promise to make good with the next meal. When that next meal happens, nothing will have changed except that you now have a long history of leniency and lack of self-control. It’s a downward spiral, one small and seemingly insignificant step at a time.

Instead, take charge of the situation and control the only thing you can control – your actions in the very moment you are. Control your now, and you’ll enjoy your future.

Ready to Incorporate these Easy Nutritionist Diet Tips?

Fueling your body with the right nutrients is completely within your control, and it does not have to be a struggle. There is no such thing as a “one size fits all” diet.

A good diet contains fair amounts of essential nutrients, suits your preferences, and is easy to stick to. Consider adding one or several of these simple tweaks to your everyday diet… and see why the best way to eat healthy may also be the easiest!