By Trish Svoboda/Image courtesy Eggland’s Best

As many people struggle to keep New Year’s resolutions past January, a nutrition expert says small, realistic changes are the key to lasting healthy habits.

Registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports dietetics, Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD, said instead of drastic overhauls, she recommends focusing on “micro habits,” that turn into healthy habits you can stick to over time.

“It’s small changes like having a glass of water before your coffee, or focusing on getting more protein at breakfast, or throwing in a five-minute walk after lunch. None of them seems like a big deal, but the magic is that you can actually stay consistent with it.”

She said healthy eating also starts at the grocery store. One strategy is the “5-4-3-2-1” shopping plan: five types of fruits and vegetables, four protein sources, three healthy carbohydrates, two healthy fats, and one dessert to avoid feeling restricted. “Now you have a kitchen full of a variety of foods that you can mix and match for all sorts of meals and snacks.”

Another tip is to “train your plate” by building meals around protein, colorful fruits and vegetables, and healthy carbs for energy. Fueling up before workouts, meetings, or busy days can also improve performance.

Meal prepping can seem overwhelming, but Blatner said to keep it simple. Protein pancake bowls are an easy place to start. “They’re eggs, yogurt, some oats, fruits, mix it up, and the batch makes four. So then you keep these four protein pancake bowls in the fridge,” she said. “On a busy morning, maybe after the gym, and you need something fast, you could take one of these protein pancake bowls. There’s about 30 grams of protein each. Very easy.” Fitness snack packs are an easy option as well, which can include eggs, cheese, whole grain pretzels, and berries.

Blatner also partnered with the Eggland’s Best’s “Champions” initiative, which includes a sweepstakes running through March 10, where participants can enter their recipes and photos daily for a chance to win prizes, including signed merchandise from Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky at ebfamiliesweeps.com. Blatner’s recipes along with many others can also be found on the site.

Blatner offered one final tip, “I think this is a tip we could all use. Champions do not wing it, they plan it. A tiny bit of meal prep can actually make healthy eating so much easier. Adding small healthy habits now add up to a big change and help us stick to our New Year’s resolutions.”