Healthy New Year’s Resolutions

Healthy New Year’s Resolutions

With the holiday season behind us including all of the celebrations and indulging, it is time to get back on track. The New Year is a great time to start the year off right. We tend to make unrealistic goals that are too general such as “lose weight” and “workout.” It is easier to make more specific resolutions that you can actually stick to.

“I like to stay positive especially at the start of a new year. We hear negative messages such as do not eat this or do that. It is better to think of things we should do and things we should eat,” says Registered Dietitian and Illinois Dietetic Association Media Spokesperson, Barbara Fine RD LDN. So how do we start off right with healthy, realistic resolutions?  “It is more beneficial to start with small changes and gradually introduce new things once you are comfortable with the change in order to lead to a healthier lifestyle that is consistent,” says Barbara.

The following avoid extra costs and are effortless. They have the power to have a big and positive impact on your life in the New Year. Check out the tips that Barbara recommends below:

Healthy New Year’s Resolutions:

1)      Get moving. Incorporate more physical activity every day, outside of scheduled workouts. Walk when possible, take the stairs, and park further away from the entrance.

2)      Eat in more than you eat out.  Learn kitchen skills and find easy and healthy recipes which save money and lead to a greater appreciation for the food you prepared.

3)      Get out of your comfort zone. Try a new activity or a new food.

4)      Eat breakfast – Start your day off right. There are many studies that link eating breakfast to better work performance and weight management. Do not skip meals. Plan ahead and aim for some fruit, low fat dairy and whole grain carbohydrates.

5)      Drink more water. It is time to cut out sugar sweetened beverages. Your main beverage should be water. Sometimes when we think we are hungry, we are thirsty. 

6)      Eat more foods from the earth. Translation: eat more fruits and vegetables from all the colors of the rainbow and includes whole grains, nuts and seeds. Limiting the consumption of processed foods will help you achieve this goal.

7)      Eat mindfully. Eat slowly to taste and enjoy your foods where eating is the only activity you are participating in at the time. More awareness with eating usually prevents overeating.

8)      Plan meals and snacks. We make better choices when healthy food is around. Make a schedule for the meals and snacks for the week which can correspond to your grocery shopping list.

9)      Stock your kitchen. Keep staples like dry goods, whole grains, frozen vegetables, fresh produce, low fat dairy, frozen proteins, and spices on hand. Having access to healthy foods will make it easier to make healthy choices as part of your plan.

10)   Adequate sleep and stress management. These two aspects of health are an important part of the puzzle of starting and staying healthy.

With winter in the air, the following soup will provide an abundance of nutrients to start your year off right. Enjoy!

Winter Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms or other dried wild mushrooms

3/4 cup unsalted cashews

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

3 rutabagas, peeled and finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 lemon, Zest and juice of

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Method:

Put mushrooms in a bowl, cover with 1/2 cup boiling water and set aside to let soak 10 minutes.Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cashews and 2 cups broth and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Pour cashew mixture into a large saucepan and add rutabagas, onion and remaining 4 cups broth. Remove mushrooms from the bowl with a slotted spoon, cut them into bite-size pieces and add them to the pot; carefully pour in the liquid the mushrooms soaked in, being sure to leave behind any grit that has settled in the bottom of the bowl. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until rutabagas are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add bell pepper and lemon juice and simmer 3 minutes longer. Serve garnished with chives and lemon zest.

Nutritional Info:Per Serving:290 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 190mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (11g dietary fiber, 15g sugar), 13g protein. Published on Whole Foods Market (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com