Katina's Nutritional Coaching Corner: Goodbye 2018 and Welcome 2019

By Katina Sayers

Good-Bye 2018 and Welcome 2019: New Year, New Me

Many people start each New Year with a set of resolutions. These resolutions usually begin as a verbalized intention on New Year’s Eve that morphs into an action plan throughout the month of January, and by mid-February, the action plan fails. This happens too often because the resolutions are not realistic or practical, people do not fully commit, or people try doing it alone. Most resolutions are related to improving nutrition and health, such as “I want to lose weight,” “I want to quit smoking,” “I need to eat better to lower my cholesterol,” or “I want to be a better person.”  This year, why not make a resolution that won’t fail? That is, come up with a fail-proof plan that will keep you motivated to continue to move forward with better nutrition and health. Let’s start 2019 with a positive attitude and the mindset of “YES!”

As we prepare to welcome in 2019, consider a New Year’s Resolution that represents “new me.” Have a clear sense and visualize what “new me” looks like and does when it comes to nutrition and health. Have an action plan, create the environment to be successful, and be accountable to others. Don’t over-estimate the abilities of “new me.” It’s better to be realistic about work and family demands, so be smart about carving out time to create “new me.” This could mean that you devote small chunks of time to “new me” or you create a plan for 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, etc. I personally like to take the easy road and find small ways each day to incorporate better nutrition and health into my life – in the end, the small things do add-up. Just say “YES” to your nutrition and health in 2019 by incorporating these TOO EASY NOT TO HIT WEEKLY NUTRITION and HEALTH GOALS into your routine:

• Eat 1-2 pieces of fruit every day
• Walk 5 minutes before work and walk 5-10 minutes at lunch
• Pack a lunch
• Drink a glass of warm lemon water upon waking
• Eat protein at breakfast
• Read nutrition labels on packaged food
• No pizza for a week
• Drink coffee or tea without sweetener
• 1 meat free dinner a week  **Make it a Meatless Monday!
• 1-2 serving of veggies at every meal
• No Take-Out Tuesdays
• Switch to 0 calorie drinks; ditch soda  **Water and tea are good options
• Stop eating when you’re ¾ of the way full **This principle is called Hara Hachi Bu by the Japanese
• Grocery shop and cook 3 times a week; make big batches to save time
• Switch to a plant-based protein powder
• Keep a food diary for 3 days   **Check out MyFitnessPal or MyNetDiary
• No eating in the car
• Substitute healthier cooking oils   **Try avocado oil
• 1 strict day per week
• Skip alcohol on weekdays
• Cook 1 new recipe