Have a Healthy Year!

Thinking back over the last year you probably don’t really remember much about what you ate. You know that you did eat, but when it comes to what you ate that probably doesn’t seem too important. Well, I challenge that! It turns out that what we eat affects us in more ways than we’d like to admit. The trouble with good habits is we don’t necessarily see a “reward” for doing them (like getting a prize for eating veggies), but we can definitely avoid many health problems by keeping good eating habits. These health problems range from seemingly harmless things such as headaches and stomach aches, to more serious condition such as depression, hormone imbalances, heart disease, and cancer. Bad habits tend to snowball into bigger problems if left unchecked, so now is the time to change things and set some new healthy habits for the New Year. If you make the initial effort and do not let harmful habits creep back in you will reap the rewards of more energy, fewer sick days, and a longer more fulfilling life. Let’s get started! 

Positive changes are much easier to maintain than negative changes, like restrictions. Focus on adding more good foods to your diet instead of removing junk foods, this way you will not feel deprived and you will get full on the good stuff before you ever reach for that can of pop.

Here are some healthy additions: 

•  Eat a large salad every day.

•  Satisfy your sweet tooth with at least three fresh fruits each day.

•  Add “GOMBBS” of these yummy foods: Greens, Onions, Mushrooms, Beans, Berries, and Seeds. These foods are scientifically-proven to have potent wellness benefits. 

•  Swap oily/greasy/fried foods, for baked, broiled and grilled foods. Use heart healthy coconut or olive oil in place of margarine, butter, and other oils in your baking. 

•  Always keep your kitchen stocked with fresh and frozen produce. 

•  Drink water instead of pop, juice, or energy drinks. Just say NO to overly sugary, over-priced drinks and drink up with H2O. Aim to drink 8+ glasses of water a day. 

•  Make a new healthy-recipe at least once a week to give you something to look forward to and make sticking to your healthy habit fun. 

•  Discover new foods: Ever tried coconut milk ice cream? How about almond butter, Greek yogurt, protein powder, almond milk, couscous, and bison? You’d be surprised how yummy eating healthy can be! 

No one wants to completely cut out something they love, so don’t! Life is meant to be enjoyed and having desert a couple times a week is not going to ruin an overall healthy diet. However, I try to stick to the 80/20 rule. Focus on eating healthy 80 percent of the time and then allow for 20 percent of your diet to be “fun” foods that you just plain love! Be it dessert, Lucky Charms, pizza, a donut, or a couple drinks with your friends; give yourself a little wiggle room and you will be much more likely to perpetuate your good habits into the long term.

For anyone starting a new habit or resolution, the beginning is always the hardest. But stick with it, you can do it! Remember, something cannot become a habit unless you do it repeatedly; but the good news is once you do form healthy habits you’ll keep doing them almost without thinking! Eating right is respecting yourself; believe that you deserve the best.