The new year is associated with making resolutions, with exercise and nutrition often at the top of the wish list. More times than not, fad diets become the solution instead of making sustainable diet changes for a better quality of life over the long term. Your food choices have the power to reduce risks of chronic health conditions over time. 

Better food choices should support a healthy weight range and lifestyle where you’re energized, happy and satisfied. Most fad diets don’t achieve those goals. 

Here are some easy and sensible ways to make better food choices this year:

• Go for the real stuff. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t eat it! Foods in their whole form without processing are so good for you. 
• Think improvement, not perfection. Get rid of the “all or nothing” mentality and focus on improvement not perfection. Your food choices don’t have to be perfect, just better than before. 
• Remember, colorful is GOOD. Add more color to your meals with vegetables and fruits. Try to include a serving at each meal. 
• Eat to SERVE your body. Try your best to eat and DO things that serves your body well, not harm it. 
• Think of what you can eat, NOT what you can’t. Focus on adding foods to nourish your body, instead of focusing on cutting down on avoiding certain foods. 
• Don’t stress over meals. Don’t stress over how fancy the food is or anything like that! Combining some pre-made foods with home-cooked sides helps prepare meals quickly on busy weeknights.
• Practice mindful eating. Be in the present. Avoid distractions. Savor each bite. Enjoy your meal. This helps with listening to your body’s physiological signals – hunger and fullness cues –and allows you to enjoy food and the act of eating.
• Don’t go hungry. Eat meals and snacks regularly. Don’t starve yourself for one big meal a day. 
• Plan meals in advance. Make meal planning and prep a part of your weekend or daily routine. This helps save money and reduces food waste. It’s definitely worth a try. 
• Make room for balance. Feeling guilty about things we should have done or need to do, takes too much time. Try looking at things differently. Instead of feeling inadequate, feel grateful. Practice intuitive eating and trust your body to let you know when you’re full or hungry. All foods have a place in your diet – some rank higher on the pleasure scale than the nourishment scale, and vice versa. 
• Be smart about changes to eating. Try this to get started: 1) observe your current eating habits and food choices; 2) set one or two goals to make small changes to easy things. Make sure it’s something you WANT to change. Use this process for slow and steady changes. Repeat, again and again. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. 

Remember: You can do HARD things!