Eat healthily for the year ahead
Reset, refresh and fuel your body with a simple nutrition plan.
Nourish yourself mindfully in the new year
Here are some ways to help you get into, and maintain, a healthy eating routine
Everything about the holidays exists on a different wavelength. Bedtimes, exercise routines, eating patterns and even our mindfulness moments change. And it's all okay; that's what holidays are for!
Whether you stayed on the straight and narrow or went completely off your personal plan, it's a new year and a great time for a fresh start.
FRESH START EFFECT (definition): Change made on a chosen day or date benefits from the "fresh start" effect. It works because the day or date gives us a clean slate, which disrupts old habits and can boost our optimism to achieve our goals. Although many New Year's resolutions fail along the way, the fresh start effect is also why many of them stick!
Reset how you fuel your body by following a simple nutrition plan
Your everyday nutrition is largely determined by what you buy, whether you cook from scratch often, and what and how you eat. By changing a few simple but powerful actions, you can develop a healthier relationship with food, and nourish your body with good health.
- Buy better: Plan meals and snacks ahead of time, and then plan your weekly shopping list accordingly. Go for fresh, whole foods, lean proteins and plant goodness. Invest in dry staples that stretch the budget and shrink the waistline. Beans, seeds and legumes are a simple, affordable addition to any meal and don't need much extra thought. Toss them into salads, soups, curries or casseroles to add valuable nutrition without breaking the bank.
- Cook more often: It might be a tough ask with time and energy limitations but your best bet for good nutrition is to prepare meals from scratch, using healthy ingredients. The secret: plan ahead and use our Vitality indicator as a great way to browse the shopping aisles for healthy ingredients. Shop weekly and make sure you use as much as possible of what you buy for home-cooked meals.
- Eat mindfully: We are prone to eating in line with our emotions, whether in celebration or under stress. Consider everything you put into your body a form of fuel. What you eat impacts both your physical and mental health.
- Visit your dietitian for an assessment and advice: When you understand the far-reaching benefits of feeding your body nutritious foods, you'll be more motivated to do it every day.
Try these amazing healthy recipes at home, courtesy of the Vitality HealthyFood Studio.
Feel free to download and print these for your healthy meals pinboard:
- Lentil and butternut salad - using longer lasting healthy food.
- Mediterranean chicken and quinoa casserole - freeze it for later; it's delicious.
- Mexican three-bean salad - for a healthy, filling lunch.
- Quick seed loaf - so easy and fun, the kids can help, too.
- Healthy snacks on the go - creamy tuna spread on seed and almond nut crackers.
Buy.Cook.Eat better
Your Vitality nutrition team.