How to Plan for a Healthy New Year - Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less

It’s the start of a new year, which makes it a perfect day to start healthy lifestyle changes!

Eating smart, moving more and living mindfully all play major roles in the success of maintaining your weight and not gaining. I have two simple tips for each part of a healthy lifestyle change. Try something new today and be intentional about building healthy habits, because we know that you can!

Eat Smart

Play around with healthy snack recipes.

Design your own trail mix or spice up your popcorn, get creative with fruit and yogurt, and try a healthy spin on muffins.

Make time to plan your meals and/or snacks for the day on a daily or weekly basis.

This will require more of your time up front, but if you have a busy schedule, it is quite satisfying to throw your food in a lunch bag each morning and skip the fast food and vending machines.

Move More

Choose a new walking route or workout routine at the gym or at home.

Pick a new outdoor walking route by going to a friend’s neighborhood, a nearby park, or downtown area. You can try yoga, pilates, or tai chi, either at home (several beginner tutorials are available online for free) or in a group class.

Be active in a different way.

Turn daily tasks into a way to be active – climb stairs (walk or jog up and down for a good cardio workout), park towards the back of the parking lot for extra steps or move during commercial breaks while watching TV (you can do leg lifts, arm circles, or march in place).

Live Mindfully

Celebrate your successes in a healthy way with non-food rewards.

Congratulate yourself for successes (no matter how big or small) by purchasing a new pair of running or training shoes, having a self-care afternoon or evening, or planning a fun day trip with your family or friends.

Alter your morning or bedtime routine.

Simply waking up 15 minutes earlier or preparing for bed by a certain time can help you feel more relaxed and less rushed each day. You can use this time to stretch, prepare your breakfast, lunch and/or snacks plan for the day ahead.