2022 is here! With a new year starting, many of us are thinking about implementing new goals for ourselves and trying out new ways to improve and be the best we can be. Here are a list of nutrition and physical activity goals that you can set or just try out for the new year ahead:
Try a new food each month
Trying new foods is a great way to expand your palette with a variety of different foods to add to your meals. Some foods worth giving a try include cauliflower rice, goji berries, jicama, faro, bok choy, and others.
Learn how to cook a new recipe
Try spicing up your daily meals by cooking a new one that you have never tried before or one that you have always wanted to try but never gotten around to. Here are unique and yummy meals that you can try out: white bean and kale sandwiches on sourdough bread, spring rolls with peanut sauce, lettuce wrap tacos, vegetarian thai curry.
Try meal planning
Meal planning is a great way to save time, practice eating a healthy, balanced diet, and not have to think about having to cook and prepare food each day. Planning out meals for the week is also easy and efficient! You can cook all your food for the week in one day and help you stay accountable to healthy eating. Some ideas for easy meals to plan are broccoli, tofu and brown rice or baked sweet potatoes with brussels sprouts and chickpeas.
Exercise for a maximum of 30 minutes each day
Regular exercise is important to maintain health and well-being. Exercising also helps to boost energy levels, improves weight, and promotes better sleep throughout the night. Some examples of exercise that you can incorporate during the week include going on a run, walking your dog, lifting weights, yoga, pilates, etc.
Substitute healthier ingredients when cooking
Small substitutions to different ingredients in meals is a small and easy way to make recipes healthier but still enjoy the same meals that you love! Some ingredient substitution ideas are substituting spaghetti pasta with zucchini zoodles, egg plant parmesan with chicken parmesan, brown rice or white rice, egg whites instead of whole eggs, and wheat flour over all-purpose flour.
Try intermittent fasting a couple times a week
Have you heard of intermittent fasting? It is based on eating food in certain time windows. An example of this is to fast around 12 to 13 hours maximum and eat your meals during the times you are not fasting. Some benefits to intermittent fasting include boosting metabolism levels and longevity! During intermittent fasting, it is important that you are also staying hydrated and eating foods high in fiber.
Try out healthier cooking techniques
Instead of frying foods try other methods of cooking including steaming, baking, grilling, boiling, or air frying! You can also try to limit added oils and butter to recipes as well as prevent cooking foods in animal fat.
Drink more water throughout the week
Drinking more water is a great way to stay hydrated throughout the day. Some ways you can incorporate more water in your day is by setting an alarm every hour to drink water. Another method is purchasing a water bottle with small encouragements written down on 1-hour increment marks to keep one motivated to drink more water.
Comments