NEW RULES FOR A HEALTHIER NEW YEAR
The new year is here and it is time to reflect back on the past year. Did you hit your health goals? Eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables? Eat a diet rich in fiber?
With the new year here, NOW is a good time to make any modifications or goals to your eating habits and diet. Below are some great ways to ring in good health in the New Year:
1. MAKE YOUR PLATE COLORFUL, AIM FOR 7 COLORS DAILY
Fruits and vegetables are a great way to add color to your plate. Colorful foods (excluding artificial colors) are full of vitamins and minerals that you body needs everyday to stay healthy and function properly. Make it a goal to add color to every meal, for example-dark leafy greens, red or green peppers, orange sweet potatoes, red onions, green broccoli.
2. TRIM THE FAT AWAY
Reflect back on your family meals and make note of foods that are high in fat. For the new year, try including less fatty foods in your meals and include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Red meat is high in fat, try leaner proteins such as fish and poultry.
3. CREATE AN EATING PLAN FOR YOU
Keep a food diary, and write down the foods you eat, the serving sizes and how you feel after eating the specific foods. Are there foods that have you feeling sluggish or do you see that you need to add more vegetables in your diet? Evaluate your foods over the week and make notes and goals on what you can improve on.
4. PREPARE IN ADVANCE
Make a meal plan for the week so you know what foods to buy at the grocery store. Follow your plans for the week and make sure all of your meals include color and the basic nutrition rules of half the plate being fruits or vegetables, a serving of lean protein, and fiber (whole-grain). Sticking with your meal plan, especially when shopping at the grocery store will also help yo save money. Make sure you only buy what is on your list and when planning your meals, take a look at the grocery shopper to see what foods are on sale for the week to include in your meals, saving you even more money.
5. RESET YOUR MINDSET – 21 DAYS IS KEY!
It takes 21 days to begin to retrain our brains. With any goals, there will be hardships and struggles but remember to stick with your plan and if you fall off track, get right back on – no excuses. After a few weeks of hard work, everything will begin to fall into place and your nutritional goals that were a struggle are now an everyday act.
Dishin’ Out Healthy- Health Educator: Nichelle
“If you keep good food in your fridge, you will eat good food.” – Errick McAdams
