Well, it’s that time of year again. If you made the New Years Resolution to eat healthy or exercise more, hopefully you’ve stuck to it and if not…well, we’ve all been there. Every January, about 1 in 3 Americans resolve to better themselves in some way in the new year. 75% of those people stick to their goals for at least the first week…but then it’s downhill from there.
Most resolutions that do not succeed past the first week of the new year tend to be habits and behaviors that are difficult to change. It’s not enough to simply say that you want to eat healthy and exercise more. You need a realistic plan!
A resolution to exercise more doesn’t mean you have to run 10 miles a day in the first week, nor does it mean going vegan or buying into whatever costly juice cleanse Gwyneth Paltrow is trying now. It’s about moving at a pace that is realistic, with goals that support your success, not challenge it. You can do this by starting a routine that helps you feel great from the inside out. These five feel-good nutrition tips are incredibly simple and easy to incorporate into your every day lifestyle and the best part is that they are super affordable! Start with these and I promise you will start to feel like you can accomplish any goal you set before yourself in no time!
Nutrition Tip #1
Eat only real, whole foods.
No more of that refined crap in a can, no more processed meats, no more Lean Cuisine frozen dinners.
Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed, unrefined and do not contain added ingredients that just increase the amount of salt, carbohydrates and fat.
When you eat whole foods, you get all of the vitamins, minerals and other good nutrients that are in its natural state. Don’t confuse the term with organic food, as whole foods are not necessarily organic, nor are organic foods necessarily whole.
And no fear ladies and gents…because eating real, unprocessed food does not mean you need to break the bank at Whole Foods every time you want to make a smoothie. I’m always amazed at how much real food I can get at Trader Joe’s (or any regular grocery store) for $30. Go to your grocery store with your normal budget and focus on making smarter choices. You’ll be amazed at how much you save when you start stocking a well-rounded supply of natural ingredients, free from the associated costs of R&D, marketing and packaging
A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything that has more than a handful of ingredients and if you can’t pronounce an ingredient…it’s probably not a real, whole food.
Examples of whole foods: Fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, oats.
Nutrition Tip #2
Monitor your salt intake.
Throw out your saltshakers, and avoid processed foods that contain it. Your
every day table salt is de-natured sodium chloride salt that is dead, kiln-dried and highly processed. Table salt creates a “false fat” look that makes you feel bloated and can leave you several pounds heavier than you truly weigh. Yikes!
Instead, grab a high quality sea salt at the store and use in moderation. Celtic sea salt is my favorite and while it’s a bit pricier than your average table salt, a tiny amount of this stuff really goes a long way. You can also swap salt out for other seasonings & herbs such as rosemary, dill, turmeric, cayenne and black pepper. I add cayenne to my salads, meats and vegetables for a spicy kick that also boosts metabolism!
P.S. If you’re feeling really bloated after eating a meal that has a lot of table salt in it, cranberry is a natural diuretic that flushes excessive fluids out of your body. However, drinking a sugar-filled cranberry cocktail is the opposite of helpful. Instead pour some concentrated cranberry into a glass of fresh water with some stevia to drink in the evenings! The natural version of cranberry juice takes some getting used to, but I drink it all the time now and it’s actually the sugary stuff that tastes nasty to me now!
Nutrition Tip #3
Lemons, lemons, lemons!
The liver is our body’s main detoxifying organ, so we want to treat it right!
Lemons are a powerful fruit that are filled with flavor, while also boosting liver function and delivering good enzymes and vitamin C to your diet.
Maximize your detox and your health by getting into the habit of drinking a mug of hot water with the juice of half a lemon squeezed in first thing in the morning. It jumpstarts the detox process and really starts to become addicting, I promise!
An extra tip, instead of oily vinaigrettes and other processed salad dressings, spritz a little lemon juice on your salad for a yummy and fresh tasting meal!
Nutrition Tip #4
Get your greens!
There are very few foods that are as rich in essential vitamins and minerals as
green vegetables. High in calcium, vitamins A, C, & E, fiber, beta-carotene, good enzymes and more, they really are some of the best foods you can eat every day!
My absolute favorite smoothie in the world is Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie (recipe below). If you aren’t familiar with Kimberly’s Beauty Detox program, it’s a must!
The Glowing Green Smoothie (GGS) is the core of her program because it’s one of the best ways ever to start your day off right. It is packed with delicious greens and juicy fruit to make it taste sweet while also leaving you with more energy than you could ever hope for from a regular cup of coffee. Even my boyfriend loves it, sometimes I come home and he’s having one as a snack after already having had one for breakfast!
Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
-1 1/2 cups water
-1 head organic romaine lettuce, chopped
-3-4 stalks organic celery
-1/2 head of a large bunch, or 3/4 of a small bunch of spinach
-1 organic apple, cored and chopped
-1 organic pear, cored and chopped
-1 organic banana
-Juice of 1/2 fresh organic lemon
Optional
-1/3 bunch organic cilantro (stems okay)
-1/3 bunch organic parsley (stems okay)
Directions
Add the water and chopped head of romaine to the blender. Starting the blender at low speed, mix until smooth. Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple and pear. Add the cilantro and parsley, if you are choosing to add them. Add the banana and lemon juice last.
The fruit and lemon cut right though the grass taste. Feel free to mix and match different seasonal greens and fruits, as these two specific food groups combine well.
Nutrition Tip #5
Ditch the Dairy!
This is probably one of the most difficult changes that most American’s face when choosing a healthier lifestyle. We grew up with dairy in our morning bowl of Lucky Charms, in our yogurt, grilled cheese, pizza and our heaping bowls of ice cream. So naturally, when someone tells us that
dairy isn't actually healthy for us…we have a hard time accepting it.
Making steps to eliminate dairy from your diet is SO important to your overall health because DAIRY IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE CONSUMED BY HUMANS, regardless of what big corporations will have you believe.
Most people believe that because dairy contains calcium, it’s necessary to our daily diet. Not true!! You can get your calcium for eating whole foods like green vegetables, nuts, seeds, sardines & salmon! Drink a Glowing Green Smoothie and you will get plenty of calcium!
Stock your fridge with nut milks like unsweetened almond milk and coconut milk instead, you’ll never need to go back to dairy, they’re delicious!
P.S. Avoid soy as a dairy replacement… 91% of soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically modified! Yuck!
I hope these tips have been helpful for you and that you can start eating your way to better health!!!
x Amanda
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