​Modern nutrition science is being used to update the notion of "healthy" food.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unveiled a proposal that would alter the criteria that manufacturers must meet in order to make the claim that their food or beverage product is "healthy."

The previous definition, which was established in 1994, imposes stringent restrictions on how much sodium, cholesterol, total fat, and saturated fat a meal or beverage may contain. Additionally, it mandated that products include at least 10% of the recommended daily intake of dietary fiber, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, or vitamin C for an individual.

According to the FDA, just 5% of packaged foods can currently be classified as "healthy," and more than 80% of Americans don't consume enough dairy, fruits, or vegetables.

Regulators now want to emphasize the need of encouraging a well-rounded and balanced diet.

According to the FDA's proposal, producers may label a food or beverage product as "healthy" if it includes a significant quantity of ingredients from at least one of the food groups or subgroups included in the Dietary Guidelines. These consist of food sources of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and protein.

So...what's "healthy"?

This shift in thinking indicates that some foods that were formerly thought to be unhealthy are now viewed as essential components of a balanced diet by nutrition scientists.

For instance, nutritionists increasingly recognize that the type of fats a person consumes is just as crucial to health as the quantity of fat they ingest. A few high-fat items can now be categorized as healthy under the new law. Salmon, specific nuts and seeds, avocado, and olive oil are a few of these.

In fact, I am a firm believer that low-fat or no-fat trends that started to gain traction in the 1960's and the low-fat/no-fat labeled 'diet' foods that started flying off shelves by the 1990's are a HUGE contributor to obesity crisis now so prevalent.

SO, WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

Not only have the distorted definitions of what a healthy diet really looks like led to multiple generations of struggling, chronic dieters (which only compounds the problem), but also an influx in certain health conditions.

​A balanced diet has long been known to lower the risk of developing chronic diseases. A chronic condition like heart disease or type 2 diabetes, which are linked to diet and are preventable, affects half of the population in the United States.

Confidence is a muscle, and like any muscle you need to exercise it so that it doesn’t shrink and waste away. The problem is that unlike your biceps or glutes, which tend to stay in the same place, your confidence muscle can be harder to find. How do you develop your biceps or firm up your glutes? By doing exercises that are designed to work that muscle over a period of time until you see the results you were looking for.

It’s just the same with confidence. Let’s say that you’re the kind of person that doesn’t take many risks, the kind of person who goes through each day doing what needs to be done and doing it well, but not really stretching yourself. You might talk yourself out of doing something because it’s too scary or because you think to yourself ‘I’m not good enough,’ ‘that’s not who I am’ or ‘I don’t really want it anyway.’ That kind of person lives within what they know and what keeps them safe and comfortable. The fewer risks they take, the less confident they need to be and so the less confident they become.

To work your confidence muscle you need to be prepared to take risks – big or small. You need to be willing to stretch yourself in an unfamiliar direction, to try something new or try something in a slightly different way. You need to open yourself up to the possibilities around you and push yourself to increase what you know, what you do and who you are. The more open you are to risk, opportunity and possibility the more confident you need to be, and so the more confidence you’ll develop.

That’s your confidence muscle – the question is, what are you going to do to exercise it?

I see so many essentially talking themselves out of pursuing a healthier and happier existence because of a lack of inner confidence.

Don't let that be you! Dig into understanding your values! Let those values motivate positive action and extinguish the fears that are holding you back!

​It's okay to be real...

​Do you have a solid understanding of what your core values are? If so, do you feel that you are currently using those values to guide your daily actions in an effective way? Why or why not?

Please share your response to these questions or any other thoughts you have on this article in the comments. I'd love to hear from you!

Don't forget...

​​Sign up for the Create Your True Life mailing list so you don't miss a thing...

If you’re currently not eating a healthy diet, it can absolutely be difficult to start. However, healthy eating along with some physical activity is very important for maintaining a good bodily function and goes a long way towards living a disease-free life. If you struggle with healthy eating, then you know that breaking unhealthy habits can be the most difficult part of the process. But, it is also not impossible and anyone can do it if they put their mind to it and acknowledge and understand their motivations for a healthier lifestyle.

Here's a few tips to help you get started. 

1. Rid your home of temptations that will distract you from establishing better eating habits. Ideally it would be a wise course to keep junk foods and beverages out of your house so as not be tempted to snack during the day. If you’re worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like veggies (great with a healthy dip like hummus), Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. If you find that you just cannot bear to toss out the sweets, try keeping something tiny on hand, peppermints or small hard candies. Eating a few, (emphasis on few) of these won’t ruin your diet but also will give you that little sugary fix if needed.
2. Learn what foods are the healthiest for you and how they work within the body. To start eating healthily we must begin by thinking healthily. Most people understand that fruits, vegetables, and low-fat meats and dairy products are good for you, but few people understand why. The key is learning about nutrients. When you understand how specific nutrients work and why you need them, it becomes more reasonable for you to make healthier choices for your body. Knowledge really is power! This is why I often share nutritional information about various foods in my Create Your True Life Facebook community for some bite-sized education. 
3. ​Be prepared. You must take into consideration your schedule for meals. If you often eat in a rushed hurry at odd times of day, you are probably more inclined to grab a rushed meal which will probably do more harm than good. So plan ahead! Instead of grabbing a fast food lunch on the go, take a bagged lunch to work, complete with a healthy wrap and some fresh fruit and vegetables. Remember not to forget your evening meal, a simple plan to have a meal ready before you get home would be perfect, but in our fast-paced lifestyle, sometimes this just can’t be done. One way to solve this problem is to plan out your evening meals for the week. Perhaps just before you do your weekly shopping.
4. Don't do your grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Do not venture down those grocery aisles with a rumbling tummy or suddenly everything, especially the not-so-good-for-us items, are going to be that much more irresistible. 
5. Start with baby steps. Even if you start with replacing one soda a day with a glass of water, you are really improving your calorie intake. If you eat fast food every day for lunch each day, try starting with bringing a healthier lunch from home a few times a week.

Yes, it can be difficult to make the necessary changes to healthier eating. Along with the difficulty of change, you may not feel well for a short period of time. This is actually normal as your body is adjusting to your new and improved lifestyle and is cleansing itself from the unhealthy toxins built up from poor eating habits over a long period of time. Give it time...it will pass and you will be AMAZED by how much better you feel - inside and out - for the effort! ​

By taking your time to acknowledge and understand your eating habits and learn about the why and how of shifting to healthier habits in an orderly fashion, you will feel much better within yourself physically, mentally and emotionally and well on the road to becoming as healthy as you can be! 

What's your dream? It doesn't matter if your goals are related to your professional life (like a promotion or a career change) or your personal life (like improving your health or ditching a bad habit like smoking). If you want to give your vision a jumpstart, actively writing down your goals can have a huge impact on your success.

Use these questions to speed up bringing your dream to life!

1. What's your highest priority in this lifetime?

What's most important for you to experience, explore or embrace this time around? Until you answer this question, your life goals will be off purpose. Unaligned with your inner passion, your intentions will lack the power to attract the people and situations necessary to become a reality.

Get clued into your true joy. What activities did you enjoy as a child? What are your hobbies now? When your goals are aligned with your soul, synchronicity kicks in to guide you to your target. 

2. Is this your dream, or someone else's?

Are your goals your own choice, or what others think you should strive for? Do you want to look back in your old age and wish you had followed your passion? Will you regret having "played it safe?"

Is it selfish to go after your own dream? What joy can you give to others if you haven't given it to yourself first?

3. Are you settling for less than?

Are you resigned to accepting less than your full share of love, health and success in this lifetime? Have you compromised and sacrificed your dream?

Anything short of living your true passions will never make you happy. ​