David Grotto
David Grotto
About me:
David first started over twenty-five years ago in the natural foods industry, having owned and operated his own natural food store. He became a registered dietitian and attended the University of Illinois at Chicago. David proudly served as a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association for over six years.
He hosted his own live radio show on health and nutrition for over 10 years and also hosted a local health-focused television show for two years.
David heads-up Nutrition Housecall LLC which is a nutrition consulting firm that provides nutrition communications, lecturing and consulting services, and also offers personalized at-home dietary services.
He also wrote the acclaimed book, 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life which is now out in eighteen different languages. His second book, 101 Optimal Life Foods, with a foreword written by Montel Williams, debuted in January of 2010. David is also a freelance writer and serves as an advisor to Fitness magazine and Sear’s FitStudio and blogs each week for the Real Nutrition community featured on WebMD.
We can all make New Year’s resolutions, but the trick is keeping those resolutions throughout the year. This is not easy to do, which many of us already know if we have managed to keep them over the last few weeks. These goals that we set for ourselves can be powerful, even life changing, but only if we stay committed.
Sticking to any goal is easier when you make small changes every day that add up over time. Are you still going for walks after dinner three times a week like you were at the beginning of January? Is your meal planning more than planning what route to drive home so you can stop and pick up take out food for dinner? Or, are you making meals at home with lots of fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains, and other healthy, functional foods? Small changes in what you eat will likely become habits as you begin to stick with them from week to week -- and they can make a big difference in your overall health and well being in the long run.
Another reason many of us don’t reach our goal is because we are trying to do things that we simply don’t enjoy. There is no reason that eating healthy and staying fit should be a chore. If it starts to feel like one, this is a sign that it’s time to make a few adjustments. Instead of continuing to drag yourself to the gym, try something different such as swimming or Pilates. Pick up an exercise video that you can do before work. If you struggle to decide what to eat for dinner, browse our Meal Recipes and Suggestions for ideas or even try a cooking class. All of these will help to keep things interesting and provide you with the opportunity to meet new people (your social support).
Be flexible throughout the year with yourself and your goals. If there is an overarching goal don’t forget to celebrate the small accomplishments as well. These are just as important. After all, small steps are necessary to reach the larger goal.