Doris Obinna

Take a look at what your diet and health have been like for the last 12 months and ask yourself these questions: How does your weight compare with a year ago? Do you feel healthy and have a lot of energy or are you tired all the time? Do you take vitamins or other nutritional supplements? Do you eat at home most of the time? If so, what types of food? Do you dine out frequently? What types of restaurants do you like and what kinds of foods do you choose?

How physically active are you? Do you exercise regularly? Do you eat healthy portions or do you stuff yourself with every meal? Do you smoke? How much alcohol do you drink each week?

It’s important to take an honest look at your health and dietary habits so you can set goals for the next year.

Set your goals: Decide what you want to achieve over the next month, and over the next year. The only way however, is to set your goals. One possible goal for your first month could be a resolution to take your lunch to work four days per week for each week this month instead of eating lunch in restaurants every day. Another example of a monthly goal would be to walk for 30 minutes four days per week each week this month.

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Determine your dietary needs: Do you have high blood pressure? If so you may wish to reduce sodium in your diet by avoiding canned and packaged foods. You need to decrease your calorie intake or increase your amount of physical exercise if you are overweight. You can choose a low-carb diet or a low-fat diet, just be sure to watch your calories and portion sizes. Again, if you are diabetes, you need to reduce your sugar intake. Increase your intake of soluble fiber like the fiber found in oatmeal. This will help lower your cholesterol levels.

Consider dietary supplements: A healthy diet should give you all of the vitamins and minerals you need, but many people take vitamins just to make sure. There are several formulations available, but all you need is a simple multivitamin and multi-mineral supplement. Speak with your health care provider before you take any additional supplements or if you have any health conditions.

Design your healthy new diet: A healthy diet should give you four-and-one-half cups of fruits and vegetables per day, almost 23 grams of fiber per day for women and nearly 31 grams for men, 1.6 ounces of protein per day for women and 2 ounces for men, and a small amount of omega-3 essential fatty acids. To stick with your new diet, you’ll want to include foods you enjoy.

Reduce your stress: Stress is detrimental to your health. Stress includes daily events like constant deadlines at work; long drive times with excess traffic; more activities than time to do them; and emotional trauma like death or divorce.

Make a grocery list before you go shopping: Stay away from the snack food aisles and the prepackaged foods aisles when you shop. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, lean meats, fish, and legumes. Avoid foods high in saturated fats, 14 sodium, trans-fats and sugar.