6 Tips for a Healthy, Tasty January

By Barbara Pronin

One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight. It’s an easy resolution to break. But kitchen diva Martha Stewart suggests it’s easy to fool yourself into succeeding. Don’t resolve to shed pounds. Resolve to eat more sensibly.

If you follow these tips, she told a gathering of food editors—and even if you fall off the wagon from time to time—you will likely begin slimming down without realizing you are on some dreaded ‘diet.’

Don’t skip meals - Eat breakfast to kick-start your metabolism in the morning, and aim to eat small meals every three to four hours after that to keep it in high gear.

Chow down on fruits and veggies – Add a banana to breakfast. It’s portable if you’re on the go. So are raw baby carrots. Keep chopped veggies in the fridge or freezer and toss them into your soup, eggs or pasta.

Drink water – Carry a refillable bottle around and sip two liters throughout the day. It will speed your metabolism to help burn calories and give you more energy and better brain function.

Don’t drink your calories - If you cut back on booze, sodas, and juices by just 25 percent per week, you’ll shave off loads of empty calories that cause weight gain. You’ll sleep better, too, since alcohol interrupts snoozing cycles. When you do indulge in booze, stick with light beer: It’s the lowest in calories.

Up the exercise – Adding just 30 minutes daily will boost your heart health and toning. You can add it without thinking if you take a quick power walk, take stairs instead of elevators, or park at the back of the parking lot.

Keep a food diary – Write down everything that passes your lips throughout the day. It’s a tried-and-true trick that keeps you accountable. Just reviewing your intake page by daily page will tell you how off-track you are and where you can make changes.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2015. All rights reserved.