Happy 2016!
At the beginning of every new year, many people make resolutions. However, by the end of January, sadly many people are often frustrated and disappointed that their resolutions did not take hold. Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to share with you some tips to help make 2016 be your year for nutritional health and wellness. Each week, I hope that you try out the newest set of tips. The key to any long-standing behavioral change, is to go slow and steady. When you take on too much too soon, no matter how good the intentions may be, you almost always set yourself up for failure. When I work with clients, we set weekly goals that are SMART and attainable. It takes time and effort, but if the changes are consistent and small over time, success is within your reach.
This week’s tips include the following:
Forgo the strict and boring diet.
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First and foremost, I really dislike the word “diet”. To me, it is the four letter word of healthy nutrition. Rather, I want you to think of your new eating habits as healthy meal plans. It is important to keep your meal plans exciting not boring. Variety is key to consuming all of the nutrients your body needs to be healthy. Be sure to include fruits and veggies that you really like. Not a big fan of kale? No worries, use baby spinach or romaine lettuce in your salads and smoothies. By including fruits and veggies that you like in your meals, you will actually look forward to eating your food, versus arriving at the table with a sense of dread.
Make healthy snacks easy to obtain in the house and on the go.
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This is especially true if you have young children in the house. Be sure to have a fruit bowl filled with family favorite fruits out on the kitchen table. Within your fridge, be sure to have pre-cut stalks of celery, baby carrots, and string cheese on your shelves. Within your pantry have whole grain crackers, nuts, freshly ground peanut or almond butters and popcorn readily available for consumption. By having your kitchen stocked with healthy food choices, healthy snacking will be that much easier. Also, for when you have to be out and about in your car, easy access to these sorts of foods will make snacking-on-the-go a breeze. Fruit is actually nature’s fast food. It comes in its own package, which is quick and easy to take along with you when you are out and about.
Make your food look fabulous!
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One of the best things you can do for yourself is eat the colors of the rainbow. A dish filled with vibrant colors such as reds, oranges, yellows, greens, purples, and blues will always be more appetizing than a plate filled with browns and whites. By eating the colors of the rainbow, you are guaranteed to consume powerful antioxidants and plenty of vitamins and minerals. For your next dinner, serve a stir-fry filled with vibrant colors such as green, yellow, and red peppers, with white onions, mushrooms and shrimp. The more colorful your plate, the more beneficial to your body.
Swap sugary drinks for water or seltzer.
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One 12 oz. can of soda can easily be 140 calories! Multiply that by 3 sodas a day and you have 420 calories! That is a lot of empty calories and no nutritional value. Your body needs water to function, so why not drink more water throughout the day? If you tend to get bored with water, try flavoring it with lemons, limes, berries, or cucumbers. All are good and refreshing. If you still need a little bit more pep to your fluids, you can try swapping that sugary drink for some seltzer. Either way you will be able to cut out empty calories and give your body something more nourishing and beneficial.
Move over book club, hello recipe club!
Who doesn’t love book clubs? It is a great time to get together and relax with friends over some wine and a good book. How about the next time you and your friends meet, you all bring a healthy dish to the meeting and then swap recipes? This is a fun, healthy and easy way to enjoy the company of friends while adding to your recipe box. You can have some fun with the recipes by making certain meetings have themes such as “Healthy Mexican Food Night, or “Fun with Asaparagus”, or “Crazy for Artichokes”. The possibilities are endless, and your palate will be happy following a night with friends.
Check back next week for more tips on how to make 2016 healthy. If you are interested in scheduling a free 10 minute consultation please email me at BeHealthy@NatalieMeadorNutrition. Thanks!
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