A Balanced Approach to New Year's Goals

2 MIN READ • BY The BodySpec Team • Jan 3, 2018

A father holds his young daughter up in the air. Both are laughing with their mouths wide open. The daughter is wearing a red and white dress and the father is wearing a black shirt.

Now that the holiday eating season has come to a close and the new year is upon us, do you feel the urge to reset and kick up your nutrition and fitness regimen? You certainly aren't alone!

We at BodySpec are rooting for you to have your healthiest year yet. This is a great time to come in for some baseline health and fitness measurements so you can track your progress - whether you want to improve your 5K time, squat heavier, or get a rockin' beach bod.

Besides accurately measuring your progress, here are a few other tips for getting started in a smart way.

Tracking your food with an app like MyFitnessPal works for a lot of people, because it will keep you accountable to not overeating OR undereating. Too frequently we see diets and cleanses in the new year that simply do not provide enough calories. Undereating will undermine your goals by slowing down your metabolism and potentially causing you to lose muscle mass.
Fuel up at breakfast and lunch so you don't end up starving by the end of the day. The strategy of "I'm going to be 'good' and start the day with a protein shake and have a salad for lunch" may backfire on you. If you eat a good sized, balanced breakfast and lunch and listen to your hunger levels throughout the day, it will be SO much easier to make good decisions later in the day and avoid the evening binge.
Try to combine proteins and carbs when choosing meals and snacks. This will help modulate your insulin levels, slow your digestion, and keep your hunger levels more balanced.
Eat the rainbow. You've probably heard this before but it's just a good reminder to make every plate colorful with a nice variety of fruits and veggies. This will help you feel more full by adding fiber to your diet, and ensure you are getting all the micronutrients your body needs.
Cooking at home is always preferential to eating out when it comes to knowing what's going into your body (and your wallet will be happy too). You don't have to be a gourmet chef or have a lot of extra time on your hands, either. Here are some recipe ideas to get you excited about making 2018 YOUR year - let's think balanced, body-positive, and fun!