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New Years Resolution
By Kylie Andrew (Dietitian)
It’s that time again – January 1 – New Years Resolutions!! Have you resolved to eat better, get fit, lose weight, get healthy, exercise more?? Let’s face it, after a month of Christmas festivities, parties and celebrations, most of us could use a month at a health retreat. But if that’s not on your agenda, then our healthy eating and exercise tips will help you to get on track.
Start by setting yourself some goals. It may be to achieve a certain weight or fit into a certain item of clothes in your wardrobe. But it doesn’t have to be weight related at all. Your goal may be to improve a particular area of your health, such as reducing your cholesterol levels, or blood pressure. You may even set a fitness goal – to run 5km or to swim in the pier to pub, or even just to start a regular exercise program.
Next, do a self assessment. Keep a diary for a week, of your food intake as well as activity and exercise. Take a moment to review this and make a list of areas for improvement. The following tips will give you some ideas on areas that you may need to address, as well as some strategies to do just that. If it is too overwhelming to address it all at once, choose one or two areas to work on each week. Once you are comfortable that you have improved in this particular area, move on to the next. By the end of the month, your diary may reflect a whole new you!
Break the fast.
Start the day by eating a good breakfast to kick start your metabolism. For example a high fibre cereal with low fat milk and fruit. Forget the excuses, make the time – it’s only 5 minutes after all!
Graze
Eat regularly throughout the day to maintain your energy levels and speed up your metabolism, i.e. 3 balanced meals with nutritious snacks in between. Set an alarm if that helps.
Forgo fat.
Limit total fat intake by limiting added fats such as butters, margarines, oils, dressings etc, trimming all fat from meat, choosing reduced fat dairy products, choosing low fat snack food alternatives and limiting fried take away and convenience foods.
Power with protein
Check that you are including a low fat protein-rich food at every meal eg low fat milk or yoghurt, lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, seafood, tofu or legumes. This will help to fill you up and keep your metabolism functioning well.
Consume carbo’s
A no carb diet will leave you feeling lethargic, so include a small serve of carbohydrate at every meal to provide your body with energy. Choose low glycaemic index carbohydrates as these will be more filling. For example high fibre breakfast cereal, wholegrain bread, pasta, noodles etc.
Go green.
Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Aim to have at least 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables every day.
Cheers.
Drink at least 2 litres of water daily. Limit high sugar drinks such as cordials and soft drink, and caffeine containing drinks like cola, tea and coffee.
Treat yourself.
Rather than indulging daily, limit treats to once per week. Choose something that you really enjoy, have a small serve and really enjoy it.
Cut quantities.
Dish up slightly less food on your plate than normal (using a smaller plate helps here). Wait at least 20 minutes after finishing it before going back for seconds. Then ask yourself if you are really hungry or eating more just because it tastes good or it’s there.
Beat boredom eating.
Before eating, ask yourself if you are really hungry or eating for another reason. If you are not hungry don’t eat. If you can define the other reason, do something else to cure it eg take a bath if stressed, find an activity if bored etc
Create “no food zones”
For places that you tend to overeat eg at the desk, on the couch, standing in front of the fridge etc
Get active.
Rely less on modern conveniences and you’ll find yourself more active. Hand deliver that memo to the next office, rather than emailing, hide the remote control – for the TV, garage etc, walk to the shop rather than drive…
Exercise it.
Aim to include at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. Schedule this into your day. For example work to walk Monday, Wednesday and Friday, play squash Tuesday night, hit the gym for a circuit class Thursday, play golf on Saturday and go for a bike ride along the beach on Sunday.