Every January, about 50% of us make New Year’s resolutions…and of those, a high percentage are about eating healthier and getting shape. I know I’ve made my share of these over the years. As for this year, with COVID-19 going on? Yikes…no comment on the need, and the reasons for it!
The problem with resolutions like these is that we all start
out with great intentions, but life has a habit of getting in the way. For
change to really happen, we have to break habits and build new ones. This can
be really hard because we’re so used to our old ways.
How to Make it Work
So how can we make it work? According to experts, one method is to avoid focusing so much on those big, long-term outcomes. Instead, once you’ve got a goal in mind, try putting your effort into simpler daily tasks.
So, let’s say your New Year’s resolution is to turn your bad
eating habits around and lose 30 pounds. That’s great, but lofty, and will take
a while to achieve. You may get discouraged along the way because the “mountain”
is hard to climb. To make your goal more manageable, aim for some
simpler daily steps. One new habit you could try is to
eat one more serving of fruit every day.
Fruit: A Weight Loss Helper
Did you know fruit may be able to help you lose weight,
while also being really healthy for you? Of course, for those of us with a
sweet tooth, it’s easy to see how fruit provides natural sweetness without all
the issues of refined sugar.
But there’s more to it than that. Fruit is nutrient-dense,
meaning it’s high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, while also being low in
calories. Its high fiber and water content can help us feel full and assist in
weight control. In fact, oranges and other citrus are especially good at this!
They score high on something called the “satiety index” that rates how filling
a food is compared to its caloric value.
If we may be so bold, it’s citrus season right now. Why not try making some easy and delicious habit change by eating more of this healthy, satiating fruit? We do have one piece of advice: stick to the whole fruit. Juice does not have the same benefits due to its lack of healthy fiber. We’re sharing some ideas and recipes below. Happy New Year!
Eat Healthy This New Year with Citrus: Here’s How
--Pair a tangerine with a hardboiled egg for a total power
snack
--Broil a grapefruit with a bit of brown sugar and top with creamy Greek yogurt for a healthy dessert
--Top your salad with orange or tangerine sections and
almonds and increase its nutrition and flavor
--Dip orange or tangerine sections in a bit of melted dark chocolate
for an easy and healthy dessert
--Serve a multi-citrus salad with supremed citrus of all kinds and a mint dressing
--Enjoy delicious fresh seafood served with citrus salsa
--Top Greek yogurt with citrus sections, chopped pistachios
and cardamon
--Enjoy these delicious and beautiful shrimp-grapefruit-avocado skewers
--Delight in a healthy quinoa salad with chicken, and citrus
--Serve fresh citrus fennel slaw on the side with your meal
--Spread a whole grain cracker with low fat cheese and top with an orange section
Enjoy!
