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10 Ways to Kick Start Your Nutrition from 2017

January 13, 2017
Nutrition isn't about having the perfect diet. It's about making smart choices on a regular basis that help your body and mind feel their very best. If you can get the hang of some of these tips, you will be off to an amazing year!


1. Drink more water. Ultimately, drink half your weight, in ounces, of water each day. If you weigh 150 lbs, this means drinking 75 oz of water each day. I know that sounds like a lot but you can easily work up to it. This is the easiest thing you can do and it has unbelievable benefits! 

2. Stop counting calories. Focus on the quality of food, not the quantity. All calories are not created equal and as soon as you can accept that and start eating nuts instead of 100-calorie packs, the sooner you will be on the track to less bloating, more energy, and better concentration. Seems like a good trade-off, eh?

3. Limit gluten. Even if you don’t have a gluten intolerance or sensitivity, limiting gluten means limiting excessive processed carbs. Especially watch for gluten that is not whole grain. 

4. Cook more. The more you cook, the more you know exactly what you are eating because cooking requires fresh, whole foods. Your pocketbook will thank you too!

5. Stop drinking soft drinks. All of it. Always. This is a game changer. I don't want to hear that it's "diet," it is only one-a-day, or that it cures your headaches. Newsflash: it's more than likely a cause of your headaches.

6. Read labels. Learn what is in your food. Try to start making better choices. Knowledge is power!

7. Get more sleep. On average we need at least 7 hours of sleep each night, but shoot for 8. Try going to bed 10 minutes earlier tonight. What does this have to do with nutrition? When you are well rested, you don't crave as many bad foods and can make better choices!

8. Remove excess caffeine. Do you rely on coffee to get you through the day? Stop. You are robbing your body of valuable energy that it knows how to make! Get more sleep and drink more water and you’ll need less caffeine. See? Full circle!

9. Up your vegetables. Almost no one eats enough vegetables. Try adding one extra veggie to lunch and to dinner. They will start to add up fast! If you are a smoothie drinker, this is a great way to add vegetable servings to your day. Your body (and your colon) will thank you!

10. Learn the different names for sugar and where to find it. Sugar is everywhere. It's in the food and it's in the news. Avoiding added sugar is a huge step in improving your health. Avoiding it will reduce your cravings and also give you more energy. Here's a list to get you started.