|
Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to slow down enough to relax, visit with family and friends and reflect on the past 12 months. I did and so enjoyed an intermission from the daily grind. Our children filled our home for more than a week and despite the additional dishes, loads of laundry and clutter, I treasured the time spent with them engaged in stimulating conversation on politics, social issues and "must read" books. We lingered over family dinners, prepared healthy meals together and participated in family workouts. However, the holiday reprieve is over, they've returned to their respective homes in LA and NYC and I'm back to doing what I love - helping people understand the power of their dietary and lifestyle choices on their health and wellbeing. January is always busy for me because for many of us, the New Year is an opportunity to start afresh and renew one's self. And while everyone's resolutions are different, a common theme is to take better care of ourselves by exercising more, eating better and dropping those unhealthy and unwanted pounds.
Great aspirations! Improving your diet and lifestyle can increase your energy, assist in weight management, sharpen mental function, and significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, type II diabetes and many cancers. David Katz M.D., M.P.H., the founding director of Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, says, "Healthy lifestyle habits can lower your risk of these chronic diseases by 80%, if not more." But in order to reap these benefits, the changes need to be permanent. Unfortunately, after just a few short weeks of avoiding sweets, going to the gym and climbing into bed earlier, our enthusiasm for our new routines often wanes and we quickly resume old habits, bringing about feelings of guilt and frustration. Are we really incapable of change or are the changes we try to implement too severe, stressful and unsustainable? I believe the latter. Bad habits take months to develop and will take months to alter. Set realistic goals and allow yourself time to establish new, healthier patterns. Below I've listed some simple changes you can gradually incorporate into your routine in order to improve your health, feel better about yourself and make your New Year's resolution a habit worth keeping.
Fondly,
|
discouraging that 54% of Americans will abandon this goal before spring arrives. It's no surprise. Most of us gallantly try to make too many changes at once, often get overwhelmed and simply resort back to our old ways before the snow melts. I encourage you to make this year different from years past. Modify your diet and lifestyle slowly so you don't feel deprived of your favorite foods and activities. In my experience, when you add healthier options gradually, they are more likely to replace the bad habits and become the norm. This of course is the goal and the key to success - permanent results require permanent changes! Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
2. Get legumes into your diet weekly: Beans and lentils are nutritional powerhouses. They're loaded with healthy carbs, lean protein and fiber and are associated with lower cholesterol and body weight. Make legumes your meal once a week and a side dish 2-3 times a week. Tips: Add canned beans or lentils to your pasta sauces, soups or salads. Enjoy bean spreads such as hummus or black bean dip with veggies instead of cheese and crackers or on your burgers and in your sandwich instead of ketchup and mayo. If you like cottage cheese, mix steamed, 
and lamb) especially sodium-rich, nitrate-filled processed meats like cold cuts, hot dogs, bacon, sausage and pepperoni. Diets high in fish are linked with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and several cancers. Not a fish lover? Enjoy shrimp, scallops or mussels frequently. Tips: Add canned tuna or packaged wild salmon to your salad instead of ham, turkey or cheese. Commit to ordering fish when you go out to dinner instead of pasta or meat.
or pedometer and track your steps. Increase your steps weekly until you reach 10K steps a day. Use a headset and pace while you're on the phone, find a ledge that allows you to stand while using your laptop, get off the subway a few stops early and walk home, use the stairs whenever possible, meet your friends for a walk instead of lunch, carry your clubs while playing golf, or add a game of singles to your tennis schedule. Exercise comes in many forms - finding one you enjoy is the key to making it a sustainable habit. Biking, walking, zumba, swimming or simply walking a couple times a week is a great start to becoming more active. Eventually you should build up to doing at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week - for weight loss it's more like 300 minutes a week. 
9. If weight loss is your goal, track your food: Recording your daily intake of food and drink will help you identify where those extra calories are coming from. It's amazing how many calories we inadvertently eat when we grab a handful of crackers or nuts every time we open the pantry. Do you nibble off your kids' or spouse's plate while cleaning up? Enjoy several bites of dinner while preparing it? These innocuous nibbles add up quickly and can contribute to unwanted weight gain or unsuccessful weight loss. Tips: Record your food as you eat it. Relying on recall at the end of the day isn't accurate. Chew sugarless gum while preparing meals and ask your loved ones to clear and wash their own dishes. Store troublesome foods out of sight.
and protect the heart.