4 Tips for making Successful New Year’s Resolutions
Happy Friday friends! Can you believe there are only two days left in 2017? For those of you who set New Year’s resolutions, I wanted to share some tips on making them achievable before you start the holiday weekend.
Here are 4 tips for making Successful New Year’s Resolutions
1. Set a realistic goal
Instead of going on a strict diet or setting unrealistic goals that can leave you feeling deprived, guilty and/or defeated, find a goal you can stick with. Aim for a serving of fruits or veggies at each meal or a serving of beans or lentils every day. Make water your go-to beverage. Try cooking at least one meal a day at home. Find a form of physical activity that makes you happy (ahem, Bollywood Groove).
2. Focus on health not weight
Increased energy, decreased stress, improved digestive comfort, and reduced blood glucose or A1C are better markers of health and wellbeing than the number on the scale.
3.Make a plan of action
Give yourself at least 3 months for those healthy goals to start becoming habits. Write down 2-3 goals to focus on at a time, and reassess in 3-6 months, adding on or updating as needed.
4. Stay accountable
Keep a journal, check in with regularly with a supportive friend or family member, or work with a Registered Dietitian to make sustainable changes towards your health goals.
Finally, it’s never too early to start. I hear a lot of people say, “Starting January 1st or starting on Monday, I’ll do x.” What’s preventing you from starting right now?
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2018!
By Rachelle LaCroix Mallik, MA, RD, LDN, Registered Dietitian and Owner of The Food Therapist, LLC
For more healthy eating inspiration, follow Rachelle at The Food Therapist!
Questions? Send me an email at rachelle@rachellemallik.com.
Rachelle LaCroix Mallik, MA, RD, LDN is a Registered Dietitian and owner of The Food Therapist, LLC, a private nutrition counseling practice based in Chicago. Rachelle specializes in reproductive nutrition for fertility, prenatal, and postnatal wellness. She earned a Bachelor’s with Honors in Human Nutrition at Arizona State University and a Master’s in Food Studies – Food Culture at New York University. Rachelle is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Women’s Health Dietetic Practice Group, and she serves on the board of the Academy’s Chicago chapter.
Rachelle lives in Lakeview with her husband Ronak, baby boy Arjuna, and adopted pup Lola. She’s also a Bolly Groover – it’s her favorite form of cardio!
Visit her at rachellemallik.com or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @rachellemallik.
4 mindful tips to keep Health Goals on Track over the Holidays
By Rachelle LaCroix Mallik, MA, RD, LDN, Registered Dietitian and Owner of The Food Therapist, LLC
Here are 4 tips to keep health goals on track over the holidays
1. Enjoy food with mindful eating
I touched on this in last week’s post. There is no need to deprive yourself of your favorite food, whether that’s pizza, samosas, or chocolate chip cookies. By being mindful and enjoying every bite, you can tune in to your internal satiety cues to know when you’ve had enough.
2. Use the hunger-fullness scale
It seems simple – eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full, but many of us ignore our internal cues and are influenced by external cues, like someone offering another serving or having food left on your plate. Try to eat when you’re noticing feelings of hunger, but are not ravenous or irritable, take your time and eat slowly, and stop eating when you’re full but not uncomfortable.
3. Eat when you’re hungry, not when you’re emotional
Stress eating affects many, and stress can be heightened around the holidays. Rather than eating mindlessly, find other ways to cope, such as talking to a friend, taking relaxing breaths, or doing yoga.
4. Keep up your exercise routine
Not because you need to punish yourself for overindulging, or to “earn” a dessert, but because it makes you feel good and is good for you. I think all of us here can agree that bG cardio is fun and gets our hearts pumping!
For more healthy eating inspiration, follow Rachelle at The Food Therapist!
Questions? Send me an email at rachelle@rachellemallik.com.
Rachelle LaCroix Mallik, MA, RD, LDN is a Registered Dietitian and owner of The Food Therapist, LLC, a private nutrition counseling practice based in Chicago. Rachelle specializes in reproductive nutrition for fertility, prenatal, and postnatal wellness. She earned a Bachelor’s with Honors in Human Nutrition at Arizona State University and a Master’s in Food Studies – Food Culture at New York University. Rachelle is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Women’s Health Dietetic Practice Group, and she serves on the board of the Academy’s Chicago chapter.
Rachelle lives in Lakeview with her husband Ronak, baby boy Arjuna, and adopted pup Lola. She’s also a Bolly Groover – it’s her favorite form of cardio!
Visit her at rachellemallik.com or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @rachellemallik.