Forget the New Year's Resolutions
A new year, a new you? We are all motivated to make “resolutions” January 1 to eat healthier, exercise more and lose weight, but unfortunately for most of us, these resolutions only last a few weeks.
This year try something new and focus more on each day being an opportunity to make a change and make a healthier choice. Food is medicine and making healthy choices now can help prevent future health problems.
Consider some of the recommendations below to lead you to a healthier lifestyle. Try not to pick too many changes at one time, instead focus on 1-2 small changes that can add up to big results in the end.
- Avoid skipping meals. First things first, don’t skip meals. Aim for 3 meals and 1-3 small snacks per day. When you skip meals metabolism decreases and energy level goes down. Skipping meals also make you more prone to binge eating at your next meal.
- Don’t drink your calories. Limit intake of soda, juices, gourmet coffees and alcoholic beverages. Research shows that liquid calories do not provide satiety and lead to more calorie intake in the day. Make sure you are drinking plenty of WATER.
- Limit intake of processed and red meats. Red meats and processed meats are higher in saturated fat and known to cause inflammation in the body. Aim to eat more chicken, fish, turkey and plant based proteins.
- Choose more plant based foods. Research shows consuming more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and bean (with emphasis on vegetables) may help decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Limit intake of simple carbohydrates. Simple sugars such as cookies, cakes, ice cream, white breads, pastas, etc are known to cause inflammation in the body which can contribute to heart disease.
- Treat yourself, but do it consciously. If you have an intense craving for a not-so-healthy food, choose exactly what you really want to eat and then eat slowly. Don’t try to eat around your craving with an array of foods that don’t really satisfy you. Instead, allow yourself to have a small but really delicious treat and put the craving to rest.
- Eat Mindfully. This means pay attention to your body. Take 20-30 minutes at meal time. Put your fork down between bites, sip on water and enjoy your food. Also be aware of what’s full and what is too full. At the first sign of fullness, stop eating and get the food out of site.
