Our Registered Dietitian Nutritionist’s Tips To Hit The Ground Running in 2021
Friday, January 1st
Take 30 seconds at the beginning and/or the end of the day to remind yourself what you are thankful for. Try to list 10 things. Mental health is just as important as physical health!
Saturday, January 2nd
Enjoy a cup of joe; studies have linked coffee to a reduced risk of liver and endometrial cancers. Sip it black or stick with 1 teaspoon of sugar if you need to sweeten it.
Sunday, January 3rd
Gift yourself a fun new 32-ounce water bottle in your favorite color. Fill it up twice per day. Resolve to drink 64 ounces in a day in order to meet your hydration needs.
Monday, January 4th
Choose someone (friend, spouse, your social media followers, the RDN at your workplace, etc.) as your person or group to be accountable to for your health goals.
Tuesday, January 5th
Forget the diet and focus on healthy habits. Cutting out entire food groups and too restrictive calorie-cutting do not work!
Wednesday, January 6th
Schedule out an exercise like you would schedule a doctor’s appointment.
Thursday, January 7th
Snack healthier with protein-rich nut butter. Try almond or peanut butter on celery or an apple.
Friday, January 8th
Fall in love with lemon! Keep a bag of lemons in the house so you always have access to low-fat and low sodium recipe alternatives. Squeeze a whole lemon on salads, chicken, and fish. Add lemon to water, tea, and smoothies for a refreshing taste.
Saturday, January 9th
Plan your “meal planning schedule” - Choose a day and time that you will set aside time to choose 2 recipes, write a grocery list and shop. Write it on your calendar! This will ensure the foods you purchase fit your menu for the week and will make sticking to healthy eating easier!
Sunday, January 10th
Write down small daily goals to stay on track such as “drink 64 ounces of water today,” “walk 10 minutes during lunch” and “consume 2 servings of fruit today.”
Monday, January 11th
Pack your lunch and bring your own snacks to work so you are not tempted with high-calorie sweets in the office.
Tuesday, January 12th
Try a new high fiber ancient grain serving like farro, bulgur, quinoa (technically a seed) or barley with dinner instead of rice or potato.
Wednesday, January 13th
Don’t skip inner grocery aisles! Beans, whole grains naturally low in sodium, nuts, herbs, and healthy oils are here.
Thursday, January 14th
Try smaller sizes of your favorite drinks (like Starbucks holiday coffees and specialty drinks) for less calories while still enjoying all the flavor.
Friday, January 15th
Take a gentle yoga or chair yoga class for increased flexibility and balance or, log on to www. youtube for at-home exercise classes.
Saturday, January 16th
Wash and prepare fresh fruits/vegetables when you get home from the grocery store and have them placed towards the front of the fridge so they are easily accessible and not forgotten about.
Sunday, January 17th
Portion out large bags of snacks (nuts, pretzels, etc.) into single-serving zip lock bags for a quick grab-and-go portion-controlled snack.
Monday, January 18th
Follow a weekly schedule like Meatless Mondays, Vegetarian Taco Tuesday, and Sunday Funday in which the entire family makes a healthy meal together.
Tuesday, January 19th
If you’re going through cancer treatment and you can’t eat according to your ideal plan of how you think you should eat, that’s OKAY. Do what you need to make it through the day.
Wednesday, January 20th
Take stock of your dry spice/herb supply; add a few new ones to your repertoire.
Thursday, January 21st
Be good to your gut! Enjoy some probiotic foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, kimchi. Replace the milk in pancake or waffle batter with Kefir, it will make for a lighter fluffier product, seriously.
Friday, January 22nd
Make a meal (with enough for leftovers) for someone you know with cancer. Taking a break from cooking a meal would immensely help someone (and their family) who is battling cancer. Studies show helping others can help our own mental health and wellbeing.
Saturday, January 23rd
Park far away from your location when shopping, running errands, etc to get in the extra steps.
Sunday, January 24th
Gather together cans of beans, tuna fish, salmon with bones, sardines, and low sodium soup and donate to a local food pantry. Tis the season of giving!
Monday, January 25th
Whatever you’re eating, healthy it up! Add vegetables to sandwiches and beans and greens to soups and pasta dishes for more volume and extra fiber.
Tuesday, January 26th
Today is an opportunity ~ Do “it” today! Don’t put it off until tomorrow (or next Monday)!
Wednesday, January 27th
Try a healthy swap! Make a meatloaf but replace 1/2 the meat with lentils, mushrooms or both! Switch out sour cream or mayonnaise for a healthier alternative like plain greek yogurt or avocado.
Thursday, January 28th
Choose frozen fruits or vegetables if you find fresh produce spoils before you use it - frozen produce can sometimes be even more nutritious than fresh!
Friday, January 29th
Skip the cocktail and go for a mocktail! Alcohol is a carcinogen, and, it’s Dry January!
Saturday, January 30th
When dining out (or ordering in) practice portion control by ordering an appetizer and a salad (with dressing on side) as your meal or ask to be served only half of the entree and have the rest wrapped up. If ordering in, put half portion away right away.
Sunday, January 31st
Conquer 2021 with confidence, you got this! Seek out one of the RDNs to help you reach your goals; they offer personalized strategies.