Keep 2016 Fad-less When it Comes to Food

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January ImageI wait until later in the month to get my January e-NL out to keep myself distanced from fads or trends with no nutritional scientific credence. So far, the most curious trend I have seen is a raw egg on top of a cup of coffee.

As part of the Egg Nutrition Center Health Advisory Panel I can write with all honesty there haven’t been studies of late confirming this as a life elongating nutritional elixir. While eggs are a naturally occurring superfood, I prefer to eat them as an adjunct to my coffee (or tea!).

Here is my advice for 2016 and a few points for keeping fad-less when it comes to food this year:

    1. Purge your social media feeds. I suggested this idea in a previous e-NL, but it’s worthy of mentioning again. With the New Year there is often a feeling of starting over and I’d suggest applying this to advice you read and or take from any ‘gurus’ you follow. Follow, like, and subscribe to dietitians for nutrition advice. Then apply it!
  1. Commit to never doing a cleanse that involves special potions or certain food combinations with no scientific backing. In the spring of ’15 I led a group of women through a ‘cleanse’ of sorts, by limiting alcohol and caffeine, and watching our intake of added sugar. Our goals focused more on adding in healthier choices, rather than eliminating. For example, specifically getting in 5 fruits and veggies a day, striving for 2 liters of water a day, and eating every three to four hours. This is a link to a well written & humorous piece published in Cosmopolitan (of all periodicals!) that made so much sense to me. Here are a few other links to science based articles shedding light on why cleanses are not the answer – ever.
  1. Buy a new cookbook to jump start new recipes and variety.  This year I bought Ellie Krieger’s new book – ‘you have it made’. Just today I made her Blueberry Chia Overnight Oats and while that was chilling I also put together her Chicken Rice Soup – for both tonight and another night (the premise of her book is to make and store).
    In November, I suggested Susan Nicholson’s e-books inclusive of holidays and slow cookers. Another idea is to buy yourself a year’s worth of Cooking Light or Eating Well. Surrounding yourself with new recipes can help ignite what often feels like the daunting task of prepping and storing food for healthy meals.
  1. Maintain a new physical activity goal based on your current lifestyle. Last year I wrote about my 2015 goal of a handstand in the middle of the room unassisted. This year I attended 4 inversion yoga seminars and still attend yoga classes at least 1-3 times per week. Despite all this practice, I have not achieved the handstand unassisted.

    One pose I did achieve while practicing is the pincha handstand unassisted (but with the wall quite close) and an occasional headstand with a pike formation up and down (again close to the wall!). My feeling is, pick a variety of activities and stick to them.

    If life takes over and you end up with a week off of everything, simply start again the following week. In my 30’s I ran and ran and ran. Half-marathons and the Boston marathon were my goals (all achieved). In my 40’s I need much more recovery time between workouts and less pounding on the joints. So I have changed my weekly exercise goals in terms of the what, but not the how much (over a weeks time) or the ideas of overall fitness and strength.

  1. If one meal is not your best, get right back on track with the next. If one day or one week are not your best, get on track yet again the next.Life is about the whole picture when we think of our nutritional health – because positive choices have long-term impact. Try not to food or body shame yourself or others. Remember, a plan of eating for a dear friend or family member may not be the one for you. Individualize and think of your intake over weeks and months. Especially when there are delicious cookies made just for you!

As you embark in 2016 as a new year I wish for you and yours the ability to be gentle with yourself in regard to nourishing your body – and your belly. Choose mindfully and enjoy all the deliciousness of food and the highs that exercise and life have to offer.