Happy New Year !!!!
That’s it, December is over. A month of eating, drinking and partying has ended and you’ve probably made at least one New Year resolution to make some changes to your diet or lifestyle in 2018 !
Most New Year resolutions don’t last past the first few weeks or even days of January so I’m sharing some healthy eating tips that I hope you will be able to include for life.
Firstly, my top tip is to
make changes that are going to be sustainable. Going on a month long juicing program or choosing the latest fad diet regime will be hard work and is likely to make you feel deprived and unhappy, which inevitably will end in binging on all the things you’ve been avoiding. Making small changes will be more manageable and are more likely to become long term habits.
Here are some ideas for you –
Increase your vegetable and fruit intake – aim for 7 portions per day (maximum 1-3 fruit portions per day) and make 2 of the vegetables leafy greens (spinach, kale, watercress, cabbage). Choose a rainbow of seasonal produce to get a good variety of nutrients.
Eat quality protein – chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, yogurt, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds. Limit the amount of red and processed meats you consume to once or twice a week.
Switch to wholemeal foods – replace white bread, pasta and rice with wholemeal versions. If there is resistance in your household about making this change try gradually mixing the wholemeal versions in. Add a handful of wholemeal pasta to your cooking or cover in pasta sauce to disguise it.
Include healthy fats, use butter, ghee or coconut oil at high temperatures and olive oil for salad dressing and low temperature cooking. Avocado, olives, nuts and seeds are all good sources of beneficial healthy fats that you can include daily.
Avoid added sugars – cut out foods that contain any added sugar or sweeteners. Fizzy or bottled flavoured drinks are a big source of added sugar so try cutting out those products first and then gradually eliminate other sugar loaded foods – chocolate bars, jars of sauces, cereals and other processed foods.
Keep hydrated – aim for 6-8 glasses of water per day, including green, black or herbal teas. Avoid drinks that are high in sugar or sweeteners, including fruit juices.
Exercise – keep active, use the stairs, get off the bus a step early, choose the parking spot furthest from your destination or take up an exercise activity you enjoy. If you have poor mobility you may still be able to do exercises in a chair – check out the “Livewell” section of the NHS website for some ideas.
Sleep – your body needs time to rest and repair, aim for 7-9 hours per night.
If you would like to download my 7 Day Kickstart Nutrition Plan see the link on my website and if you would like to get more information from me about nutrition then I have a Facebook group that you can join, just click here
Have a happy and healthy 2018
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