Keep Those New Year's "Eat Healthier" Resolutions

Stephanie MacNeill, Registered Dietitian, Sports Dietitian, MHSc.

So you’re New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier. That’s awesome! But let’s be real, ‘I’m going to eat healthier this year’ is one of those well intentioned, but too-hard-to-define goals that’s easier said than done.

If the overall idea is healthier eating, you’ll have more success if you break it down. With a big goal, it can be difficult to know where to start and pretty easy to lose momentum. But if you set smaller goals to reach along the way, then you can measure your progress with each mini-milestone you achieve. And let’s be real, there’s nothing more satisfying than checking something off your to-do list.

Here are 7 ways to follow through with your healthy eating resolution.

1. Choose a method of eating that is enjoyable, sustainable and fits with your lifestyle
   The reason that so many diets fail is that they’re just not sustainable in the long run Diets tend to approach nutrition and weight loss as a temporary state of mind. I mean we can only endure juicing cleanses or eat cabbage soup for so long!! The reality is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet. Different methods work for different people. Find an approach that you’re actually going to enjoy and be able to stick to over time.
   
   
2.  Identify your values and rise to the challenge
   Changing your eating habits can be difficult! Get over this road block by reflecting on why you want to change your eating habits. Is it to have more energy? To be able to be more active? To have more self-confidence? No matter what the reason, write it down and refer back to it when you feel like giving up. Yes, it may be challenging, but you are worth it!
    
   
3. Meal prep-seriously, it’s a game changer!
   Meal prepping can be as simple as preparing freezer smoothie packs for breakfast or more complex like cooking complete dinner for the upcoming week. No matter how you slice it, there’s no one right way or method to meal prep-it’s about what works best for you. Too often people get bogged down by the details, when in reality, sticking to the basics will probably do more good. Set aside an hour or so each week to plan your meals, grocery shop and do some basic food prep (chop of veggies, etc). This little time investment will make it much easier to stay on track.
    
   
4. Make enough at dinner so you have leftovers for lunch
   This could almost be a part b) to the last tip. When choosing your dinners for the week, plan to make a little extra so you can take the leftovers for lunch the next day. Some foods actually taste better the following day since it allows more time for the flavors to combine and develop.
    
   
5. Don’t force foods you don’t like
   Find healthy foods that you actually like. Don’t force yourself to eat foods that you don’t enjoy just because they’re ‘healthy’ (what does that word even mean anyway). Keep experimenting with different foods until you find options that work for you.
    
   
6. Enjoy your favorite foods
   If you love chocolate, allow yourself to enjoy it in moderation. Otherwise you’ll leave yourself feeling deprived longing for a taste of that mouth-watering, rich, milky, creamy, bitter delight!  Remember that healthy eating is not about denying yourself your favorite treat foods, it’s about enjoying them along side nourishing, whole foods.
    
   
7. Get friends and family on board
   Invite your friends and family to join you on this journey. Healthy eating becomes a lot easier when you have support and people to share your experiences with along the way. Create a recipe swap or a meal exchange group and have weekly check-ins to hold each other accountable.
   
   

So there you have it, seven tips to help you with your ‘Eat Healthier’ resolution. Working with a registered dietitian can help you navigate these tips so you can start the year off on the right foot.