New Year, New You 2024

By Tiffany Daniel

A new year, leaving the past and looking toward the future, means being in the present, the gift of life. This article will discuss some important survival tips to help you along the way.

Let’s begin with developing good eating habits. Remember when filling your plate to choose colorful fruits and vegetables, starting with the green. A variety of colors provide the broadest range of nutrients.

Don’t be distracted during meals as this will normally lead to consuming more and not paying attention to your portions. Also be alert while eating out. Restaurant portions are much larger than you would normally prepare for yourself. To further assist with mindless eating, when you are eating out ask for the doggie bag in advance.

You can apply these principles at home also. Check your pantry and be sure to stock up on free foods. Buy fruits and vegetables in small quantities that you plan to prepare or consume that week. This way you will look forward to eating them, and they won’t spoil, causing a minor setback in your advanced planning.

There are other areas you can control by planning ahead. Know when you go what you want to eat. Monitor the bread intake provided before the meal so that you don’t fill yourself with bread before the entre. With the salad, choose olive oil and vinegar dressings. And take advantage of the “free foods”, foods very low in calories and carbs, but filling.

Now that we’re on our way to mastering the weight loss program, let’s add the other requirement the fitness plan. The workout has to be fun, fast and effective to think that one will stick with it if not. So the combination of meal planning with the right exercise will make it a lifestyle change and not just a fad diet.

So let’s make it a priority to eat what your body needs and not what your eyes see. Listen to your body, as it always knows.

Remember, the food groups from the former basic food group triangle has been modified. Look at your plate to see how similar it is to MyPlate. Visit www.choosemyplate.gov and add the daily checklist to your daily routine. And just a side note, don’t forget your water.

Congratulations, as you are well on your way to a new year, new you.