Your New Year Nutrition Overhaul

For your New Year’s resolution to be successful, you need to make your goal specific. So you want to lose weight? Specify how much and give yourself a timeframe. Whatever your goal is, make it achievable and realistic. A safe weight loss is around 500g a week. Write your goal down to help cement it in your head.
 

Summer’s the perfect time to overhaul your diet with lots of fresh and tasty fruit and vegetables in season. Here are some key pointers for a healthy diet.
 

Compared to refined carbohydrates, wholegrain are packed with nutrients. Wholegrain carbohydrates contain B vitamins, vitamin E, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Eating wholegrain carbohydrates can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, type two diabetes, and assist with weight control.   So swap your white bread for wholegrain bread, your cornflakes for muesli and you’ll be on track for getting enough wholegrains. Wholegrain foods include brown rice, rolled oats and whole wheat among others.

 

Summer is a perfect time to enjoy fresh salads, berry fruits and stone fruits. Aim to eat at least three serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit. Low in calories and full of nutrients, fruit and vegetables are the perfect foods to fill up on when wanting to lose weight. 

 

Switch from full fat to low fat dairy to reduce your saturated fat content. You’ll also cut calories. Aim for three serves of low fat dairy a day.

Choose lean protein, trim the fat off meat and remove skin off chicken.

 

Don’t deprive yourself, but limit high fat and sugar foods to an occasional treat and watch your portion size. 
 

Be active in as many ways as possible. Getting your heart rate pumping with some vigorous exercise as well being more active in general. Don’t always look for the closest carpark, take the stairs at work, take the message by hand instead of sending an email – all the small things add up. 

With the longer days and warmer weather there is no excuse not to move more. Go for a walk, a swim, play tennis, beach volleyball, or throw a Frisbee – find something you enjoy and stick with it. 
 

Monitor how you are doing with your New Year’s overhaul and review your progress. If you overindulge – don’t give up. We are all human and it’s ok to slip up every now and then. Remember to reward yourself for your successes – perhaps a new summer outfit or something small like a coffee with a friend.

 

The New Year is a perfect time to kick start your healthy lifestyle, so don’t go on a fad diet, see this plan as a lifestyle change and you’ll soon be reaping the benefits of a healthy diet.