New Year, New You?
As we’re nearing the end of January and our motivation might be dwindling, Rhonda Noone - Food, Nutrition and Contemporary Issues Lecturer – shares her tips for staying on track 👇
After another Christmas thwarted by Covid-19 and lockdowns, perhaps - like me - you stayed at home and overindulged in front of the TV over the festive season?
Are you now feeling like a fresh start?
January offers lots of possibility, but often we often approach it with an “all or nothing” attitude. No alcohol, no chocolate, no take-away….no fun? Tempted to go all out on a keto/vegan/juice/meal replacement diet?
Research conducted by Strava, the social network for athletes, highlighted Saturday January 12 is the day most people give up their New Year’s resolutions. After analysing more than 31.5 million online global activities in January 2019, Strava was able to pinpoint the date when most people report failing their resolution.
Why do people break their diet and activity new year resolutions? Often, it’s a case of making too many drastic changes that are unsustainable. Reducing foods that bring us joy - or at least a dopamine boost - can be difficult, especially mid-winter.
Try not to go full-throttle this year: reduce your take-away to once a fortnight, have a few alcohol-free nights each week, save snacks to 100-200 Kcal once a day (e.g., a standard size chocolate bar or packet of crisps), swap fizzy drinks and coffee for water most of the day (after that first essential coffee 😉). Make small changes, gradually.
This year, why not take a gentler approach? Consider your habits, this might entail keeping a food diary for a few days. Think about the basics…
Are you eating regularly? If you don’t eat a regular meal, you are more likely to snack on high fat and sugar snacks. Try to get some routine back into your day, gradually.
Are you getting enough fluid? Thirst and hunger signals are often confused. Try to get 1-2 litres of water per day - not fizzy drinks, even low sugar varieties may impact on our intake of other foods.
Are you eating some fruit and vegetables at each meal? Frozen and tinned vegetables count too, so use these up. It might be too cold to face salads but consider soups and nourishing stews.
Unmotivated to cook? Keep it simple, stick to the foods you know.
Good old-fashioned stick-to-the-bones porridge, with some fresh or frozen berries stirred through.
Make a quick omelette and add in some frozen peas, mint, and a sprinkle of feta cheese.
Hot nourishing chicken or veg broth soup for after your brink winter walk. You can use tinned or fresh ready-made soup, but these will be a bit higher in salt.
Make a spaghetti bolognaise, but bulk it out with a grated carrot and a drained tin of lentils.
Make macaroni cheese but add in some lightly boiled broccoli and cauliflower to bulk it out.
Feeling a bit more adventurous? Try a new recipe once a week. Find healthy and money saving recipes below:
