Nailing Your 2020 Healthy Eating Resolutions

Everyone has goals when heading into the new year. People strive to be better versions of themselves once that ball drops at midnight, and a clean slate lies ahead of them. Goals can come in the form of landing a new job they feel will be more fulfilling, starting a workout routine that will get them on track with their fitness endeavors, or anything else they’d like to start improving upon.  

One very popular resolution is to adopt healthy eating habits. Healthy eating is an admirable goal for anyone, whether you're very into health and wellness already and want to stick to your habits or you've never really thought much about nutrition before and feel it's about time to begin your journey. Regardless if you run marathons, do bodybuilding, or are more likely to be found sitting on the couch playing video games, you can benefit from taking healthy eating to the next level. 

And we know just how to help you get there. The following tips will help you reach your 2020 goals and smash your healthier New Year's resolutions so you can live a better life than ever before. Once your diet is in a good place, you’ll feel better inside and out. We can’t wait for you to start feeling great. 

Cooking at home gives you control over which ingredients you eat. Research suggests that people who eat most of their meals at home tend to have a more positive outlook on life and consume less sugar and processed foods. Eating home-cooked meals five or more days per week is even associated with a longer life.¹

Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet can help reduce the risks of various conditions like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. Instead of packaged or processed foods, choose whole foods. Sugar is frequently added to beverages like juice, coffee, and many other popular drinks.

Eating more fruits and vegetables can help you reduce your risk of some of the most dangerous chronic diseases. The fiber found in fruits and vegetables may help to lower blood cholesterol levels by binding to cholesterol in the intestines and removing them from the body—which, in turn, might help prevent heart disease and certain forms of cancer. 

Mindful eating is a technique that brings complete focus and awareness to each meal. It encourages slowing each bite to actually savor the food and appreciate its unique complexity. In fact, mindful eating is often equated to wine tasting. This healthy eating tactic provides numerous benefits—such as reduced stress, reduced calorie intake, and improved digestion.

Time is the single biggest barrier to a healthy lifestyle. Diligent planning and shopping can ensure that there are always nutritious foods on hand at home for healthy eating. Plan an afternoon to choose meals for the week, shop, and prepare multiple dishes that can easily be served at a moment’s notice. Meal prep reduces the need for late-night pizza or a fast-food run.

Drinking fluids is important for staying healthy and maintaining the function of every system in your body, including your heart, brain, and muscles. Water helps carry nutrients to your cells, flush bacteria, and prevent constipation (among the many other benefits it provides).

Heavy drinking will take its toll on the body over time—especially the liver and heart. Overindulging in alcohol is even linked to several cancers. On a more moderate note, drinking alcohol lowers inhibition, which in turn may lead to poor health choices. Additionally, many drinks contain high amounts of calories and added sugar. 

Skipping meals may lead to poor decision-making at mealtime, such as overconsumption of calories. Eating fewer calories can be used as a strategy for weight loss. Your eating frequency affects your energy intake, hunger, and weight too. When you feel like you’re starving, you’re less likely to focus on mindful eating. Plus, you may be eating more quickly, which won’t allow you to process that you’re full until you’re overstuffed.

The feeling of hunger can be influenced by things like boredom, stress, and fatigue, which means a morning craving may not even be triggered by legitimate hunger. Avoiding snacks at work is especially difficult when food is readily available and free, making us more likely to eat—and continue to overeat.If you have trouble avoiding snacking, consider being the pioneer of healthy eating at your workplace by bringing snacks that are higher in fiber and protein. These can include greek yogurt with fruit or a tasty serving of apples with peanut butter. 

The Meatless Monday movement began in 2003 in response to the release of the Healthy People 2010 Report, which included goals to reduce dietary saturated fat by 15 percent. Saturated fat is primarily found in meat and animal products. Skipping saturated fats one day per week, or 14 percent of the week, makes this trend a practical method for helping people meet their dietary goals. 

The Meatless Monday movement began in 2003 in response to the release of the Healthy People 2010 Report, which included goals to reduce dietary saturated fat by 15 percent. Saturated fat is primarily found in meat and animal products. Skipping saturated fats one day per week, or 14 percent of the week, makes this trend a practical method for helping people meet their dietary goals. 

If you would like to lose weight, a goal of 50 pounds may be too lofty. Choose a smaller, realistic goal and reassess your next steps when that goal is achieved. Think baby steps here.

Have target values, such as a number of days or specific dates that you would like to complete your goals. Giving yourself specifics may drive the motivation you need to be successful. 

A moment of weakness or lapse in decision-making is part of the process and can actually help you refocus. Simply take any setback as a learning experience and an opportunity to prevent potential setbacks in the future. 

Make your health a priority. When you’re feeling your best, you will excel in many other areas of life—from work to social situations and family matters. Healthy eating is just one part of the equation, as we know our health and well-being involves so much more. Sleep, stress reduction, and physical activity have a significant impact on our bodies and minds as well. Take strides every day to build generally healthy habits. 

And when it comes to healthy eating, personalize the experience for yourself to make sure you’re doing the most you can do for your body. Take the first step and download our FREE sample report to see the personalized data that would be available to you. After reviewing the sample report, you’ll have an idea of the valuable information that’ll be broken down for you when you get your very own. Eating for your genes is crucial to ensure you’re getting maximum benefits from the healthy choices you make.

References

1. Sotos-Prieto M, Bhupathiraju SN, Mattei J, et al. Association of Changes in Diet Quality with Total and Cause-Specific Mortality. New England Journal of Medicine. July 2017. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1613502.