5 Healthy Habits to Start The New Year
Getting Back on Track in 2023
By Marlene Wagner
I hope the new year has started beautifully and you are considering everything you want to accomplish this year.
Now is the time many start thinking about their goals and what they want to achieve in the coming year.
If they make goals, most people will do that at the end of one year for the start of the new year. I make mine at the end of the year.
There is no denying many goals never get past month three.
Getting fit and going on a diet are the number one goals made each year
Recently I had recommendations to avoid holiday weight gain.
As much as I hope you will implement the suggestions, some weight gain is realistically unavoidable.
Hopefully, it has helped you use some restraints and make better choices.
Today I want to get a jump start to help you plan and consider the goals of getting fit and losing weight in the new year.
I want to show you how you can start getting into some habits that will help you with those few pounds gained.
If nothing more, you’ll have ideas of goals with which you can start the new year. These are also excellent habits for maintaining a healthy weight all year long.
Top Activities You Can Start Today
One of the best goals anyone can make now and certainly at the start of the new year is to cut down or avoid fast food restaurants.
Trying to maintain a healthy weight can be challenging.
With fast food restaurants readily available, busy schedules, and family, eating a solid, nutritional meal goes by the wayside.
Alarmingly, the American Heart Organization stated the following:
- Forty-eight percent of Americans have cardiovascular disease.
- Forty-seven percent of U.S. adults have hypertension, a significant risk factor for stroke and heart disease.
- Forty-seven percent of Americans have pre-hypertension, higher than normal blood pressure.
What does one do to get back on track?
Start from the beginning. The following activities are readily available to you for maintaining a healthy weight:
- Put away electronics – In today’s society, almost everyone has a cell phone or computer.
With busy schedules, we often check our phones when we eat.
We are justifying our behavior by doing two things at once. However, we are being destructive to our health.
Eating while watching television or any electronic can lead to overeating.
The program distracts the brain, and you can lose track of your calorie intake.”
Instead, use your mealtime as a break, both physically and mentally.
Allow your mind to catch up with all the information it has received.
Find a park bench where you can breathe fresh air and digest your meal correctly before returning to work.
- Start first thing in the morning – Breakfast is among American adults’ most skipped meals.
As life has progressively gotten faster every day, eating is often skipped to get on with the day.
As children, we are always taught to eat our breakfast before we go to school.
Coffee is great, but we need more.
If you are jumping up and running, keep healthy energy bars available to grab on the go.
I’m a big fan of protein drinks that are easy to drink on the go. I often have one as a meal replacement and always have one on hand.
A few are up to 30 percent protein, low in calories, and high in potassium.
If you have time, make some cooked cereals or make breakfast burritos. Include veggies and eggs for added protein.
It’s also a great activity to do with the children. Create an assembly line and get them involved.
Now the kids can tell their friends they made their breakfast. It’s a win-win.
- Do not fall back to old habits on your days off – When we have a chance to relax and sleep in, old habits tend to creep up.
It’s the best time to check your diet. Use this time to try new healthy recipes and incorporate them into your weekly meals.
It’s also a good time to pack snacks when on the go.
Treat yourself to a well-balanced meal a few times a week.
Salmon and asparagus are excellent baked or on the BBQ.
For indoor meals, try using your crockpot. A hearty stew with lots of vegetables is always a welcome meal.
- Use smaller plates – When plating your food, put it on a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.
It convinces the brain that more food is on the smaller plate, causing you to think you’re full when finished.
It’s an illusion our brains tell us our hunger levels.
With the same amount of food on large and small plates, the eyes inevitably choose the smaller plate, believing they are getting more food.
Next time you have a healthy dinner at home, use the smaller plate for your main course and the larger plate for salad or vegetables.
When dining out, box half your meal before you begin eating. If you are still hungry later, you will have leftovers go to.
In time you will become very used to eating less, and you’ll be more comfortable than when you eat more than you really need.
- Go after the rainbow – This idea works great on salads and snacks.
The Centers for Disease Control recommend that adults eat at least 1.5 to 2 cups per day of fruit and 2 to 3 cups per day of vegetables.”
Add some red peppers and mushrooms for protein when making your next salad.
When craving something sweet, make yourself a fruit bar. Add fresh sliced strawberries, blueberries, and bananas to Greek yogurt.
For added crunch, add some low-fat granola. Each week try something new and begin enjoying eating fruits and vegetables again.
In Conclusion
Make sure you check in with your body when changing your diet. The idea is to change your habits and way of thinking about food.
Before long, you will enjoy cooking good food and eating healthier.
French Author Francois de La Rochambeau once said, “To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”
If you have any particular challenges, let me know. I’ll include it in my content.
Starting today, make yourself a priority and begin living your best life.
But before we go, always remember to
Be true to your magnificent self,
Coach Marlene
Connect with me!! I’d love to hear from you.
https://attractloveatanyage.com/
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Email: parkavenueunlimited@midco.net
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