Make a healthy diet part of your life… New Year New You!

How to make a healthy diet part of your life, not just a January fad!

I think it’s safe to say that no-one is going to be too sorry to see the back of 2020. But what is 2021 going to bring? Unfortunately, I can’t answer that. What I can tell you though, is that now is the time to get a plan in place to make sure it is as healthy as possible. It’s time to make a healthy diet part of your life!

Yes, it’s time to put those Quality Streets aside and start afresh! It’s all important to try to make healthy changes that we can stick to, rather than a quick fix diet that is gone by February.

Here are my top 7 healthy New Year’s resolutions!

1. Eat more whole foods

Whole foods, including fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and fish, contain plenty of nutrients that your body needs to function at an optimal level.

Following a whole-foods-based diet may significantly reduce heart disease risk factors, body weight, and blood sugar levels, as well as decrease your risk of certain diseases, such as Type 2 Diabetes

2. Add more colour to your diet

Adding more colours – usually in the form of more fruits and vegetables – will help add a variety of essential vitamins, minerals and fibre to your diet, all of which will help to promote immune health.

3. Plan Meals and Snacks in Advance

Try to make meal planning and snack preparation part of your weekly routine. Planning a menu of meals and snacks in advance and preparing as much as you can ahead of time can help ensure healthier meals, as well as healthier snack choices. Meal planning can also save money and reduce food waste.

4. Cut back on sugary drinks

Cutting back on sugary drinks is a great goal, as sugary drinks have been linked to an increased risk of obesity, fatty liver, heart disease, insulin resistance, and poor dental health. As with all dietary changes, cutting sugary drinks out completely overnight can be difficult. Gradually cutting down on these drinks may make this easier to manage.

5. Reduce your alcohol consumption

Though alcohol can certainly fit into a healthy diet (and for some, has been essential this year!), drinking too much alcohol can have a negative effect on your health and contribute to weight gain due to their calorie content.

Choosing sugar-free mixers, such a rum and Diet Coke, can help you to achieve this goal.

6. Sit less and move more

Many of us have found ourselves sitting a lot more during the last year, while working from home. This can have a negative effect on our health.

Making a resolution to sit less, and get up more frequently during the day, is an easy and attainable resolution that can be tailored to fit your lifestyle.

7. Think Improvement, Not Perfection

Always try to keep in mind that we are trying to improve our health, rather than reach perfection. Your diet and lifestyle does not have to be perfect – as long as it is better than it was before, you have achieved something great!