Resolving to Eat Healthy in the New Year? Prepare for Success
Yasir Abdul-Rahman, DO, is a primary care physician with a special interest in preventative health for men, women and children. He practices family medicine at Inova Primary Care – Gainesville.
Each year, eating healthier surfaces as a popular New Year’s resolution. It’s no surprise — a nutritious diet will help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent chronic disease. But even with good intentions, 80 percent of our New Year’s resolutions fail by the middle of February.
So what’s the key to success? Preparation.
Choosing to improve your nutrition is a big life change – or at least it should be. With other life changes (such as moving, having a baby, or switching careers) you take the time to make a plan and prepare for the change. Why should eating healthier be any different?
Before you jump into healthy eating this new year (and we hope you will), follow these tips to help you prepare for success:
Define Your Reason for Healthy Eating
You know the general health benefits of eating a nutritious diet. Now dive a little deeper and visualize a healthier future for yourself.
For some, this desire for change is coming after lab tests indicate it’s necessary. For others, grandchildren or a new marriage provide reasons to live long and in good health. Whatever your motivation is, write it down or simply remind yourself of the big picture every time you have doubts.
Work With Your Doctor to Create a Nutrition Plan
It’s always good to involve your primary care provider (PCP) when embarking on a health change. Your doctor knows your medical history and can make suggestions to help you safely reach your goals.
Your PCP is the best person to determine the number of calories you should be eating. For women, a healthy calorie range is 1,600 to 2,400 a day. For men, the daily range is 2,000 to 3,000 calories. Depending on your current health and physical activity level, your PCP can guide you in how much to eat each day.
Assess Your Current Nutrition & Lifestyle
You have to look at where you are before deciding where you want (or need) to go. Keep a log of your eating habits for a week. It will help you understand the number of calories you consume, when you eat and what you eat.
Also keep track of your exercise and sleep. Being rested and getting the proper amount of exercise will help you make good food choices.
Make Healthy Eating Easy
To help your resolutions stick, your healthy eating plan should be realistic. Restricting your favorite foods or using complicated formulas will have you fighting with your willpower in no time.
The easiest way to monitor your diet is to measure calories. You can still eat some of your favorite foods, as long as you pay attention to portion size and count calories. Free or inexpensive fitness apps are a convenient way to track your food and exercise right on your phone. At your next appointment, your PCP can give you tips for portion control, like how to measure portions using your palm. With these tools, you’ll always know how much you are eating.
Set Up a Healthy Kitchen
Stocking up on whole foods will make healthy choices easier. Always make a list before heading to the store and try not to shop when you’re hungry. Watch this video to learn more about healthy eating guidelines.
While shopping, choose food from the perimeter of the grocery store. That’s where the meat, produce, dairy and bakery are. Try to avoid choosing too many items from the middle of the store. That’s where you’ll find processed food and beverages, which may have added sugar and preservatives.
Give Healthy Eating Habits at Least 21 Days
It takes time to change routines and form new habits. While three weeks of healthy eating isn’t enough to guarantee lasting change, it is a good start.
After three weeks, you’ll be more comfortable with tracking your calories and identifying portion size. You’ll also see what aspects of healthy eating are the most challenging for you. At your next appointment with your PCP, remember to discuss solutions to keep you on track for the next 21 days and beyond.
Ready to Make Better Nutrition Choices?
If you’re hoping to eat healthier in the New Year, schedule an appointment with your PCP or if you do not have a PCP we welcome you to make an appointment with a provider at any of our Primary Care locations.
Glittering generalities. A more serious assessment will include physical fitness, alcohol use, smoking history, exercise program, stress factors, and family member support. Calorie counting is great but exercise must be a component in determining your minimum calorie requirement. There is nothing easy in the pursuit of good health.
I approve of this article its simple and easy for the public to understand, he takes it step by step, plus we all know its not east to pursuit good health but these are good tips to help some get started.
Thanks for your comment, Paul.
Good health is elusive at times because the tools and skill set required to be healthy are elusive.
I only do perimeter shopping. I don’t buy processed food. I work out with a trainer twice per week, bowl six games per week, walk weekends yet after menopause my weight increased over time.
There is no straight path to a healthy weight. It is a constant struggle and requires a lot of work.
Excerpted From, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-protein-packed-foods-for-healthy-meatless-meals
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For most of us, eating a little less meat could have health benefits. Research indicates that a balanced diet low in saturated fats helps reduce your risk of developing heart disease and other chronic conditions.
And while white meats and fish are swaps for red meat, which tends to be high in unhealthy fats, meatless options contain important vitamins, minerals and fiber not found in chicken and fish. Johns Hopkins nutritionist Lynda McIntrye recommends five foods — high in protein and other nutrients, but with no meat — and explains their health benefits.
1. Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein. And while in the past eggs had been associated with increased heart disease risk, there’s actually substantial evidence that for most people, eggs are not harmful. In general, eating a whole egg every day is beneficial. However, if you have diabetes or heart disease, keep your eggs to two or three a week.
No matter how you whip up your eggs, here are some other ways eating eggs helps your body:
Breast health: Be sure to include the yolks in your egg dishes. They contain essential but hard-to-get nutrients such as choline, which helps lower rates of breast cancer.
Eyes: The antioxidants in eggs may prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.
Weight management: Studies have shown that if you eat eggs for breakfast, you may eat fewer calories during the day.
Meal suggestions: Keep hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for a quick snack, try an egg-and-spinach omelet for breakfast or have a spinach salad with a hard-boiled egg for dinner.
2.
What a great way to look at change! Thank you for this informative article!
Although the article you attached to this article is informative, I really enjoyed reading Dr. Abdul’s article instead. It is very simple to the public and an easy way to start a healthy and simple lifestyle without complicating things. People tend to lose interest in implementing their new diet that includes so many restrictions and it can get very overwhelming. Simple is great!!
Thank you Dr. Abdul-Rahman for the information!