“Happy New Year!”
Welcome to 2020! Not just a new year, it’s a new decade. The 2010 decade was a pretty solid one for me, mostly the latter half.
I met my husband, finally ran a Boston qualifier, got a great new job, ran the Boston Marathon, got married, ran the Chicago Marathon while I was pregnant, had my son, and ran Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth with one of my longest besties.
While a lot of my top memories involve running, I think the best part of the 2010s was personal growth – becoming wiser, prioritizing better, practicing mindfulness and gratitude, and, mostly, learning to step back and focus on what matters most.
Abel fears no food.
What’s your biggest takeaway, accomplishment, or learning from the 2010 decade?
Eat Well All Year Long
Shifting to another topic, the real topic I’m here to share today, is all about another great year and, hopefully, awesome decade in the 20s. And it starts with something simple and huge.
Throughout the past several weeks, you’ve possibly sought out or been exposed to articles with tips on holiday eating.
How to eat well during the holidays.
How to not overeat during the holidays.
How to stick to healthy eating goals during the holidays.
Those types of holiday eating tips.
The reality is it’s tough to eat well during the holidays, right?
Thanksgiving food is delicious. There are always treats around the office. And, if you’re like me, it’s not just one Christmas dinner. It’s Christmas Eve with the in-laws. It’s the weekend before with my other set of parents. It’s the leftovers after.
I firmly believe it’s okay to indulge and we should be free to eat and enjoy without fear. After all, a couple days of overeating aren’t what can destroy our health. It’s the other 300-plus days throughout the year that simple eating habits can have a positive effect on wellness.
Now that the holidays are over shouldn’t mean the interest in healthy eating ends – so, here are 5 holiday-inspired tips for eating well the rest of the year.
Do What’s Healthy for You
Keep in mind that “healthy” food is a subjective term – what’s healthy for me may not be for you. However, there are foods that make each of us feel and live our best. Those are the foods that are healthy.
1. Exercise
There’s something about exercise that encourages quality food choices that fuel the body. After all, food is fuel. Whether morning sweat sesh, lunch workout, or evening exercise, creating a daily habit of moving the body is a great way to eat well.
The important things in life – waffles & friends.
One note to this I must add: exercise because it makes you feel good, NOT because you need to burn off foods, cancel out bad foods, or punish yourself for eating. Food is not bad and exercise is not punishment.
2. Water
There’s no downside to drinking a lot of water. I’s free and easy, and it helps the body stay in tune with natural hunger cues, as well as cleansed, naturally – no detox diets needed.
3. Snack
It may seem counterproductive that eating more helps with eating better, but good snack habits are a great way to keep from getting too hungry and overeating – and it’s the best way to avoid the dreaded hangry.
4. Mindfulness
Doing things intentionally, eating included, is a powerful piece in the making-good-choices-puzzle.
Mindless eating is one of the biggest causes of overeating and empty eating (no shame, who among us hasn’t polished off an entire box of Cheez-Its…just me?). Keeping food choices intentional to what’s going to fuel the body and make it feel its best is the center of healthy, positive food association.
5. Variety
No food should be off-limits. Give yourself permission to eat all the foods. A little bit of everything feels like you’re getting it all, no deprivation-induced-binges, plus encourages a good variety of nutrients, provided there’s a solid mix of veggies, proteins, fats, carbs, and everything.
Here’s to healthy, positive, and happy eating habits in 2020.
Do you have any other tips to encourage good food choices?
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