MADISON, Wis. — While we’ve focused on staying safe from a deadly virus, some healthy habits have gone out the window. The New Year can be a time to reset.
UW Health registered dietician Camila Martin has some suggestions that could help people set their goals, if eating better is part of their plan for this new year.
Still, it’s all about setting reasonable goals. Martin said deciding you’re going to do everything right every day just won’t work, and won’t happen.
“Try to not set yourself off yourself up for failure, and try to set realistic expectations,” Martin said. “We can't tackle on our water goals, and our fiber goals, and our fruit and veggie goals, and our cooking goals, and our sodium goals, and our sugar goals all at once. So just pick one, start with that.”
Martin said it all starts when you start your day. “We need a really good healthy breakfast,” she said.
That’s especially true right now.
“There’s a lot of challenging things going on in this world, a lot of stressors, a lot of new challenges,” Martin said. “We want to make sure that we have the mental capacity and energy to be able to do that.”
She recommends trying to sneak in another serving or two of fruits and veggies per day.
“It seems like just a fun trick for kids to say, ‘you have to finish your vegetables before you eat your cookie.’ But really, that's actually a good tip for kids and adults alike,” she laughed.
We’re in a time where it may be tougher to pay for fresh foods, or tougher to keep them fresh when we’re limiting our trips to the grocery store. Martin said frozen is the way to go.
“Frozen fruits and vegetables are great on a budget, and they keep fantastically, and they're just as nutritious as fresh,” she said. “You can roast them, you can steam them, you can add them into smoothies, find recipes online.”
For people who are working from home, snacking can be one of the biggest obstacles to healthy habits. When you’re home most of the day, all your favorite treats are just a few steps away.
Martin said the key is finding healthier snacks, and making sure they’re ready to eat.
“Trail mix divided up into a certain portion size … or having your fruits and veggies prepped or having the dip ready,” she said. “Having that ready ahead of time so you can just reach in and grab it.”
One of her biggest tips has nothing to do with what you eat, and everything to do with the people you love.
“Engaging others in cooking and slowing down meals can be great for a lot of different reasons,” she said. “Having kids involved in meal times is a great way for them to learn about healthy foods, for them to connect with their caregivers.”
Right now we could use any way to connect, and we can do that through food, even from afar.
“You might know grandma's favorite casserole recipe that you love to make, but maybe call her and ask about it,” Martin said.
To recap, here are her top suggestions. She recommends you pick and choose, and just focus on one or two at a time.
- Eat breakfast
- Drink more water
- Eat more fruits and vegetables
- Prepare ahead of time
- Watch portion sizes
- Find healthier snack alternatives
- Try plant-based proteins
- Involve others in cooking and food prep
Martin said to prepare for days where you don’t get it right. And that’s okay! Just don’t let it discourage you.
“We put too much pressure on ourselves. It doesn't need to be something fancy, it can just be food,” she said. “Sometimes we just need to get to the end of the day. And it is not going to be a chef's meal. But it can still be something that's good for you.”\