When you've set a goal to improve your nutrition, you want to do so with plans at which you'll succeed. For many people, gradually making small changes is the right way to go. If you're not exactly conscientious about your nutrition today, the idea of completely overhauling what you eat tomorrow and beyond can seem difficult. You may find that it's easier and thus more encouraging to make multiple small changes — until you've eventually changed your approach to eating. Timing plays a big role in your nutrition, and here are three time-related nutrition habits that anyone can follow.

1. Eat Soon After Getting Up

Many people get up in the morning and do a lot of different things before they eat breakfast. And, of course, some people don't eat breakfast at all. You might often hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but its value is largely dependent on how early you eat. Generally, you should try to have breakfast no later than 60 minutes after you get up. When you don't eat early enough, it's easy to get too hungry — and this can cause you to overeat at breakfast, which isn't necessarily healthy.

2. Don't Eat Too Close To Bed

If you're relaxing in the evening, it's easy to reach for a snack. Many people enjoy dinner, but then hang out in front of the TV and casually snack on and off until bedtime. The problem with this habit is that your metabolism slows at night, which can make you more apt to gain weight because your evening snacking. Additionally, heavy snacks too close to bedtime may disrupt your sleep. One rule to follow is to stop eating about two hours before you go to bed — something that anyone can do.

3. Eat After Working Out

If you're working out regularly, congratulations — you're doing something positive for your health. However, you need to also keep nutrition in mind so that you're getting the most out of your workouts. A meal between one and two hours after the conclusion of your workout will give you the nutrients that you need to refuel your body, as well as help to satiate the hunger that you're likely experiencing after being active. As with leaving breakfast too late, it's a bad idea to avoid eating for a long time after your workout. By the time you get around to eating, you may be apt to overeat because you're extremely hungry, which could undo the calories that you burned while working out.

For more information on nutrition plans, contact your local expert.