New Year - New You

Healthy New You!

This year I challenge you to make a commitment to make a change in your diet that will help enhance your life. It is never too late to commit to making choices to preserve the one and only body we were blessed with. Studies show that most illnesses can be reversed, and prevented, through a healthier diet. Amazing that we have this much control on our wellness!

This is a huge challenge. Are YOU ready for it? If so, read more.

Making healthier choices is easier said than done. Even those who are very motivated and strong-willed find it difficult to change eating habits that have been practiced since adolescent years. Making healthier choices IS requires determination, support from others, full commitment, a plan on what steps to take to achieve the desired end result.

Here are some quick tips to get you started towards a healthier new you:

• Eat what you like, but less! Reduce the amount of food and drink you ingest that is non-nutritional. This may include soda (regular or sugar free), fancy coffee drinks, alcohol, sweets, and foods filled with white sugar and flour.
• Eat colorful foods! Eat at least five servings of fruits and five servings of vegetables each day and fill in the rest of your meals with food from the other food groups. You will find that your body will feel full longer and be able to eat more calories.
• Eat more! Eat five to six times a day starting 30 minutes after you awake in the morning. Enjoy a high fiber/protein breakfast, a fruit snack mid-morning, lunch, a mid-day snack, dinner, and an after dinner snack. Eating more can increase your metabolism thus allowing your body to convert food to energy faster. In general, food not converted to energy gets stored in our body and I think we each can share where our "storage pockets" in our bodies are.
• Be adventurous! Try something new every week: 1) a new food such as putting beets and pumpkin seeds on your salad, 2) a new recipe like Chicken Parmesan with Quinoa, 3) a new spice or seasoning like ginger or turmeric. Realize that our taste buds change and flavors you did not like when you were younger you may enjoy now.
• Remember this is all about you! Do not compare yourself to others. Depending on where you are at with your diet today, the steps you take will vary on the timing of which you achieve each step and the challenges you overcome.

I am a certified nutrition and wellness consultant from a small rural community along the Mississippi. My goal in life is to educate others so they make healthier life choices. If you are interested in enhancing the quality of your life, follow me.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy new year - Paulette Wagner