March is National Nutrition Month, a day created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Before you scoff at the idea, consider the benefits of a “mindful March” – a month in which you dedicate yourself to better habits when it comes to food and lifestyle. March is actually a great time to revisit your New Year’s resolutions, too.
March is actually a great time to make meaningful changes when it comes to our health and well-being. We all make resolutions in January, but the percentage of us who quit by mid-January is surprisingly high and I’d be willing to bet that it has a lot to do with timing. We’re all still in holiday mode, and February has both the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day, so we’re really not ready for a big lifestyle change in January. I mean, the weather is still so dark and dreary that motivation runs at a low and the desire to remain comfortable is at a high. So, March feels like a much better time to make our resolutions stick, with spring right at our doorstep as the snow and cold begins to melt away.
The focus of National Nutrition Month is on food, with helpful information on food awareness and meal prep. Food is essential to our lives, it fuels our bodies and helps keep us alive. While processed or fast foods are easy and super accessible, they’re not always made with the best of ingredients. What the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants us to focus on in March is food education. That means we are given the best information to help us make more informed food choices. What I love about this is the opportunity to explore new foods and meal planning strategies that will help us all to eat smart and eat well. This doesn’t mean shopping at fancy boutique grocery stores that cost an arm-and-a-leg! Eating right on a budget is possible with a little knowledge and planning.
Get back on track with your New Year’s resolutions or get a fresh spring start and use the month of March to focus on fresh food that is satisfying and budget-conscious. Diets are no fun because they’re so restrictive, but a thoughtful food plan that leaves room for treats and eating out is a great way to stay on track and stay healthy.