Submitted by: Kimberly Lam, Nutrition Student Volunteer and Dani Renouf, RD, MSc.
Now that 2021 is nearly upon us, many individuals are setting their goals for the New Year, the majority of which are related to improving health through diet and exercise. Although well-intentioned, the majority of resolutions that are made are fulfilled less than 10% of the time. It is likely that individuals will take on a goal that is very difficult to maintain over time, including cleanse diets to “detoxify”. Not only are such dramatic diets difficult to follow, many can also be harmful to overall health, especially for those living with chronic diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease. Oftentimes, restrictive diets cause blood sugar abnormalities, dehydration, and nutrition deficiencies. To prevent these health risks, speak with a registered dietitian who will support you in individualized health goal setting for sustainable and long-term benefits.
To consider some health goal setting strategies, we suggest:
- Setting small goals – having a main goal and breaking it down into smaller, more attainable steps makes it easier to meet! Think of ways you can measure your steps so that you can keep yourself on track, either through journaling or using Apps to track your actions.
- Cooking at home – when cooking at home, there is the freedom to be able to customize recipes, such as reducing sodium, and using herbs and spices for flavour. Cooking at home can also help you learn new skills and recipes to have fun and enjoy your food.
- Keeping active – incorporating movement into your daily life can be an easy way to help improve physical activity. Walking, rather than driving, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, dancing to your favourite song, shoveling snow, or chopping wood, the options only depend on what you enjoy!
Setting goals can help individuals maintain their health and allow more enjoyment to come out of life! As the New Year begins, it is the perfect time to try out these tips, which can help you set your goals for a healthier you. Sometimes, these tips can even exceed your expectations and help build self-confidence.
To help nourish your body during the cold winter months, try this low-potassium chicken noodle soup recipe as a healthy start to the New Year!
Recipe for Rotisserie Turkey Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of cooked turkey meat
- 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup onion
- 1 cup celery
- 1 cup carrots
- 1 cup whole grain noodles
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley
Instructions
- Remove turkey from bones and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Pour vegetable broth into a large stock pot and bring to a boil.
- Chop the onion, celery and carrot into bite-sized pieces. Add the noodles, turkey and vegetables into the boiling stock.
- Boil for 15 minutes or until the noodles are done.
- Garnish with parsley, and enjoy!