Hello,
Welcome to 2025. Wishing you a happy-healthy-new year and a positive fresh start. As I’ve discussed before, rather than make resolutions, I prefer that you embrace some new habits and take small actions toward improving your health as well as your outlook. This includes making better food choices, moving more, and thinking positive thoughts to feel happier. (Yes, health and happiness are linked.) Here, I share simple habits and practices you can start anew or pick up again. Pick the ones that best resonate with you. And enjoy the process!
1.Add a fruit to your breakfast.
Whether you’re starting your day with a bowl of oatmeal, eggs, or yogurt, add a serving of fruit. I love to add sliced apple to my uncooked oatmeal and cook the oatmeal with the apples (I love fuji apples.) Yum. A cup of berries also tastes great in yogurt. And you can enjoy a bigger portion.
2. Include protein to each meal.
Protein helps stabilize blood sugar and including protein can help you feel full. Chicken, fish, lean meat, eggs, dairy, beans, and nuts are all good sources of protein.
3. Think positive thoughts.
Focus on the POSITIVE things you have in life. What you think about, you become.
4. Add these foods to your eating plan!
Skip the quick fix for weight loss. Instead, incorporate a variety of healthy foods into your diet. Here are some of my favorites that can help with your weight-loss journey for the long haul (not just for the month of January!) And even if you are not looking to lose weight, these foods are super healthy, so enjoy them:
- Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are high in fiber, low in calories and very filling.
- Leafy greens are an excellent addition to your weight loss diet. Not only are they low in calories but also high in fiber that helps keep you feeling full.
- Beans and lentils are a great addition to a weight loss plan. as they are high in protein and fiber, helping you to feel full and lower your calorie intake. No wonder the recently released report by the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee advised that we eat more beans.
- Eggs are high in protein, relatively low in calories, and very filling and nutrient dense.
- Salmon and tuna are high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, making them a good choice for healthy weight loss.
- Berries are low in calories, high in fiber, and can be added to foods like yogurt and cereal to make your portion look bigger— a dieters dream.
- Apples and pears are high in fiber, portable, and make a great filling snack aiding in weight loss.
5. Do something nice for someone.
Doing nice things for others helps you feel better. Here are ideas—Call an old friend. Send flowers to someone special. Write a letter to a loved one. Cook your partner’s favorite meal.
6. Eat more, weigh less!
Portion control doesn’t mean you have to eat small portions. In fact, you can eat larger portions of fruits and (non-starchy) veggies. So, enjoy a fruit or veggie at each meal today. (And no need to count calories!)
7. Go meatless.
All of us can benefit from the health effects of adding more plants to their plates. A plant-based diet is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber and it’s no wonder that research has found that this type of diet can reduce your risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes as well as help keep your weight in check. Following a plant-based diet can also help you live longer. A win-win!
8. Meditate.
Try it for at least 5 minutes today if you are a newbie. Just google “5 minute meditations” on YouTube and pick one. Got more time? Try one for longer. Focus on your breath.
9. Enjoy healthy starches!
No, you don’t have to ban starches and grains to lose weight. You just want to choose the healthier version. Instead, swap white bread products for whole grains. Skip white bread, white rice, and white pasta, and go for whole wheat bread, brown rice, soba noodles, and oatmeal
10. Enjoy a colorful salad.
Whoever thinks salad is boring, think again!! I could eat a different salad 🥗 every day for a year with the large assortment of veggies, fruits, grains, and toppings available. The key: be creative and keep it colorful!
Want to make it a full meal? Top with #healthyprotein—salmon, chickpeas, tofu, egg, or chicken.
11. Snuggle!!
If you live with a partner or family, give them a hug. If you live alone and don’t have a partner (yet), hug your dog!! Turns out, snuggling is good for your health.
12. Practice plate therapy.
Eat a salad on a larger plate; you’ll probably add more veggies. Eat your steak on a smaller plate.
13. Make 2025 a year with less (added) sugar.
Added sugar is hidden in packaged foods like breads, snack foods, yogurts, sauces, salad dressing, and breakfast cereal. And for the good news, added sugar is now listed on food labels. Note: added sugar. Naturally occurring sugar in fresh fruit is super healthy.
14. Spiralize it.
Have you tried spiralized veggies? They are yummy and a great and fun way to add veggies to your diet. You can purchase spiralized veggies in the supermarket or you can make your own with a spiralizer (lots of options are available on Amazon). I love the Vegetti.
You can have these “veggie noodles” in place of pasta for a lower calorie Italian-type dish or you can add them to your pasta. Spiralized veggies also make a great snack or side dish. I love spiralized zucchini, beets, carrots, and even sweet potato! No need to portion-control your “pasta.”
15. Roast your veggies!
I love roasted veggies and enjoy them quite often. For a change from steamed veggies which are bland and boring for many of us, you can roast whatever veggies you have in your fridge—broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and red pepper and zucchini. For a healthy—and filling—starch option, you can also roast sweet potatoes and butternut squash.
16. Be kind–and loving– to yourself.
Rather than be too hard on yourself and focusing on the things you didn’t accomplish in 2024, be gentler with yourself. Do the best you can, and take it one day at a time! Block out some time for movement that makes you feel good. And don’t let food create added stress. Rather than focusing on what foods you “must” cut out, focus on healthy foods you can add.
17. Declutter your kitchen and put treats away.
Place fruit and veggies front and center. Keep the cookies and cakes stashed away so that they are less tempting.
18. Try a new (healthy) food!
You may even like it. Pick anything healthy to try. Have you tried lentil pasta, jicama, sorghum, star fruit, Brazil nuts? Try something new and let me know how you did!
Have a healthy week and a wonderful year!
Warmly,
Lisa
Dr. Lisa Young
Would you like help cultivating healthier habits? managing inflammation? eating mindfully?… or tips for losing a few pounds? If you’d like a nutrition tune up or any help with meal planning, weight loss, food shopping tips, or mindful eating, I’m happy to help. I currently offer VIRTUAL NUTRITION COACHING & COUNSELING SESSIONS. I am now offering group coaching classes for weight loss. Reach out if you have a group who would like help or if you would like to get on a waitlist to join my next group. Are you enjoying my newsletter? Please consider forwarding it to a friend or two.
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Happy holidays!