Throw out the diet...Eat whole food

You may be tempted to start a new diet for the New Year, to lose weight fast....but let's go back to reality. Will you likely follow this new diet for the rest of your life and feel satisfied? You will hear about the juicing diet, no carb diet, high fat keto diet, gluten-free and so on....but these diets have no balance and are lacking in different nutrients which are necessary to support long-term healthy habits. It is exciting to think about numbers lost quickly but more than likely, it does not represent "true" weight loss.....and at the same time, your mood and energy could suffer for it. 

Although it is great to have the mindset to lose weight, think about what you "really" want for yourself. Now is a time to develop a wellness vision...do you want to feel less stress throughout the day? Do you want to feel more confident that you can have a healthier relationship with food and avoid temptations more often? Do you want long-lasting energy rather than relying on caffeine or other quick fixes? Then make a shift to adopt long-lasting healthy habits and simply focus on eating whole foods...no calorie counting, just balance. 

Prepare your meals by using 3 food groups to start from the image above and and choose 2 food groups at snack time to keep appetite under control and a healthy metabolism. On average, people need about 3 meals, 2 snacks daily. Focus on your hunger to guide you towards your total intake throughout the day. For a list of food choices for each group, visit www.myplate.gov. I always encourage people to build their plate and start with veggies. Non-starchy veggies should take up half of your plate at lunch and dinner. Then it is smooth sailing from there.

Snack Ideas

Hard boiled egg with hummus

Celery and PB

Fruit and yogurt

Goat cheese spread on whole grain crackers

Kind Bar 

Quick Dinner Ideas

Roast a whole chicken and use for various meals:

Pizza - Add shredded chicken to whole grain pizza crust, add desired toppings and sauce

Quick chicken salad - add in plain yogurt, drizzle of lemon juice, cumin, 1/4 c dried fruit, 1/2 c walnuts, pepper      and salt to taste -- add into lettuce wrap or high fiber Flat out wrap