The new year is just around the corner and with its early arrival you have the perfect opportunity to think about what you will do next year in order to achieve a healthier life.
If you are already imagining what your goals to fulfill during the next 12 months will be, we invite you to include in your list these 10 New Year’s resolutions recommended by nutritionists that, surely, will help you achieve a much healthier lifestyle than what you already have.
10 New Years Resolutions Suggested by Nutritionists
1. Start the year from scratch with your diet
One of the reasons it’s so hard to meet health-related New Year’s resolutions is because the holiday season bombards our stomachs with too many cravings that might not be as healthy.
As the specialist Dian Griesel points out, the cupboards are filled with foods high in fat and sweets that, sooner or later, we end up consuming, thus unbalancing our diets. For this reason, he proposes to “purge our refrigerators” and start right from the first of January with healthy snacks, vegetables, fruits and lean meats.
That’s how it is! New Year New Life!
2. Cut back on sugar
Easier said than done, but it’s always good to prioritize reducing sugar from your diet .
Nutrition experts from around the world agree that forgetting this ingredient in your meals does wonders for your health, since sugar is one of the largest sources of calories today and causes countless cases of overweight and heart disease.
If you reduce your intake to the minimum proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO; about 25 grams per day), you will see results in a matter of weeks. Not only will you lose weight, but you will feel more energetic.
3. Plan your meals with weekly menus
A good way to get better results with your diet is by planning the food you will eat through a weekly menu. This offers you the following benefits:
- Better anticipate the nutrients and calories in your diet.
- Avoid compulsive buying of unhealthy foods and snacks.
- Acquire only the ingredients that you are going to consume.
- Save time and money.
4. Measure servings with product labels
It is useless to think of exclusive diets with healthy foods if the portions to be consumed are not controlled. The goal of this strategy is to eat the correct amount without overdoing it in any way.
To achieve this balance, it is convenient to read the tables found in almost all products. With the data provided there, the nutrients you get in each serving of food can be calculated. These labels even tell you the calories they offer. Also, understanding these tables helps you avoid processed foods or foods with saturated fat.
Of course, this idea should also be applied to your favorite snacks. With the latter it is better to carry individual portions, rather than whole packages and bags. Thus, you eat what you need without loading your body with extra calories.
5. Stay hydrated
Keep a bottle of water close to you at all times to stay hydrated. In fact, it is common to confuse the feeling of hunger with thirst .
In these cases drink water or, better yet, some fruit. This way you hydrate yourself and at the same time you get fiber and vitamins.
6. Add prebiotics to your diet
Prebiotics are indigestible ingredients present in various foods that promote the growth of microorganisms in the digestive system , more specifically in the colon and intestines.
The nutritionist Maya Feller details that these components colonize good bacteria that, in turn, play an important role in the absorption of minerals such as calcium and in generating a feeling of satiety.
Prebiotic foods to include in your diet include onions, garlic, asparagus, soybeans, oats, bananas, and leeks.
7. Play with spices in your meals
Apart from offering more color and flavor to your dishes, spices and herbs have very beneficial nutritional properties to enhance the diet.
A study by West and Skulas-Ray (2014) found that adding two tablespoons of spices to meals reduces the accumulation of triglycerides in the blood by up to 30%. In addition, they are ingredients with a very high digestive value, thus stimulating the assimilation of the other nutrients in the dishes.
Write the following herbs and spices on your shopping list for the new year:
- Oregano.
- Mint.
- Laurel.
- Rosemary.
- Ginger.
- Basil.
- Parsley.
- Thyme.
8. Eat mindfully and with full patience
Nutritionist Beth Witherspoon highlights a bad habit that should be avoided during this new year, and she refers to eating under stress .
Witherspoon proposes that instead of eating when you are very busy, tired or bored, you should reprogram your mind to eat calmly . To do this, you must turn off your mobile, your television and your computer.
Taste your food slowly, chew slowly and enjoy without any distraction around. In this way, your body can take advantage of all the nutrients in their entirety.
9. Try new recipes
We know how boring it is to follow a diet without many variations in the dishes, but with the new year coming up you have a golden opportunity to add new recipes to your cooking repertoire.
If you haven’t experimented with other techniques yet, try surprising your friends and family with steamed vegetables, well-cooked lean meats, or low-calorie vegan snacks.
10. Focus on the positive and enjoy your year
Do not let yourself be overcome by discouragement and always seek to be motivated. If you failed once by feeding yourself something you shouldn’t have, don’t throw all your effort overboard, keep going and don’t give up.
To achieve that feeling of triumph, focus on observing your achievements. According to dietitian Tori Schmitt, the change in mindset is about enjoying the deliciousness of healthy food instead of thinking that you will never eat sweets again.
Look at the bright side of your new life and enjoy all the achievements you make throughout the year.
Conclution
Exercise frequently, take care of your health, and be happy. The more satisfaction you feel with the changes in your life, the more you will know that you are on the right track.
References
- Kindelan, K. New Year’s resolutions: Nutritionist’s tips for staying healthy from the inside out. For ABC News [Reviewed December 2018].
- Orenstein, B. 9 Nutritional New Year’s Resolutions. For Everyday Health [Revised December 2018].
- Tremblay, S. 10 New Year’s Resolutions Nutritionists Want You To Make. For Livestrong [Revised December 2018].
- West, A. and Skulas-Ray, S. (2014). Spices and herbs may improve cardiovascular risk facto rs. Nutrition Today , 49, 8-9.
