Hi COLD-Fxers, I’m Laurie Barker Jackman and I’m going to help you conquer the year! I challenge you to focus on developing habits that are manageable instead of the same old New Year’s resolution to lose weight. It’s best to set small goals and change your habits slowly.

Over time, small changes can make a big difference in your health.

Nutrition Habit for Diet

You want to eat better in 2020? The best thing you can do is prep your produce. We should be filling half our plate with vegetables and fruit at every meal. Make the healthy choice the easy choice by having your vegetables washed and cut up in clear containers, in plain sight, in your fridge. The easier you can make these nutrition powerhouses grab and go, the more likely you will be able to increase consumption and reap their nutritional benefits!

Nutrition Habit for Sleep

Keep your caffeine in check. Too much caffeine can lead to having trouble sleeping and experiencing irritability. You generally want to keep caffeine to 400mg or less per day. One cup of coffee can deliver about 100mg of caffeine. Remember that’s a 250ml cup, not the giant size cups we tend to pour multiple times a day! Caffeine is not only present in coffee but in teas, sodas and chocolate. Be mindful of your intake to improve your sleep quality.

Nutrition Habit to Destress

Eat together as a family more often. Family meals are not only easier on the wallet, they ensure better nutrition and communication. Parents feel less stress overall when they sit down to the table for a family meal and children show fewer signs of depression and anxiety. Make this a goal for the year.

Nutrition Habit for Exercise

Be sure to fuel after your activity. To help your muscles recover and replace glycogen stores, eat something that has both carbohydrates and protein within two hours of your activity.  Some choices are: yogurt and fruit, peanut butter sandwiches on whole grain bread or wrap, tuna with whole grain crackers and veggie sticks.

Remember, consistency is key to developing healthy habits.  Choose one, stick with it, and then conquer another to build healthy habits for a lifetime.