It’s safe to say that we all want to feel like the most energised and best versions of ourselves. And with the New Year on the horizon, it’s easy to get into the mindset that you’ll start making positive changes in January, but what if you could implement some changes now and start feeling better today?
If there is one thing that we can all agree on, it's this: Healthy eating doesn't involve any specific diet. It's about prioritising your health with nutrient-rich foods. When you're hungry, the goal should be to eat filling, nutritious meals and snacks, not as few calories as possible.
We understand that with so many conflicting opinions and advice around us, it can be hard to know where to start. It can get quite overwhelming, so we’ve simplified it down to 7 simple steps.
- Diversify your diet by cooking most of your meals at home. We recommend aiming for an 80:20 approach. If you know that 80% of the meals you eat are healthy, home-cooked and full of nourishment, that allows you to have flexibility in the remaining 20%. Learning two or three essential recipes and meal-prepping your lunches make this approach very manageable.
- Create whole food protein and fibre-rich meals and snacks to satisfy your hunger. Pairing your apple with a handful of almonds or smoked salmon on oatcakes are great examples of balanced snacks that will keep you feeling satiated for longer.
- Prioritise grocery shopping to stock your kitchen with healthy staples — choosing a combination tinned, frozen and fresh foods. A nutritious well-stocked kitchen, fridge, and freezer will make healthy meals easy. Shop once or twice per week to top up on fresh ingredients.
- Make plant foods the base of your diet with every meal and snack, like vegetables, fruit, beans, and nuts. More fibre = fuller for longer, better digestion, hormone and immune function.
- Drink plenty of water. If you're not used to drinking water, challenge yourself to consume 400mls of water before any food or caffeinated drinks in the morning. This sets up your digestive system for the day as well as hydrating you after sleep.
- Eliminate ultra-processed foods as much as possible.
- Avoid drinking your calories; consuming sugary drinks regularly, like fizzy drinks, energy drinks, and extravagant coffees, can be detrimental to your health. It also can slow down progress
Why not choose 3 of the above steps to start implementing before the year is out and come January you'll be ahead of the game!
