Five food fads to avoid this year

Independent.ie

At this time of year, fad diets will be coming at you from all angles, claiming to be the ultimate weight-loss option, offering speedy results while curing your body of all that's harming it. The first thing to be aware of is that quick weight-loss is often not the healthiest option. Slow fat-loss, in a body that contains too much, is often more sustainable and more preserving of lean tissues. It's also difficult to avoid malnourishing the body if under-nourishing it to extreme levels.

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At this time of year, fad diets will be coming at you from all angles, claiming to be the ultimate weight-loss option, offering speedy results while curing your body of all that's harming it. The first thing to be aware of is that quick weight-loss is often not the healthiest option. Slow fat-loss, in a body that contains too much, is often more sustainable and more preserving of lean tissues. It's also difficult to avoid malnourishing the body if under-nourishing it to extreme levels.

The second thing to note is that fad diets are not sustainable. For example, they may be low in carbohydrate, fat or protein and are rarely tailored to the individual. More often than not, this doesn't lead to long-term results. Bearing this in mind, here are my top five fads to avoid this New Year.

There is no such thing as a good or bad food, just a good or bad diet! If you consume one food that you deem less healthy, this does not ruin the health benefits of the other 100 healthier foods you have eaten that week. Your body will reflect what you consistently do.

All foods have a place in a healthy diet. Instead of restricting foods, aim for including foods. A healthier aim is to eat as much variety as possible to ensure you're eating a host of nutrients.

The first step is to base your diet on plants. Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrain carbohydrates, legumes, nuts and seeds is a recipe for better health. Keep it varied and keep it colourful! As fads come and go, the healthy guidelines do not change all that much. As I outline on pages 28 and 29, drink plenty of water, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, include protein at each of your meals, choose wholegrain carbohydrates more often than processed grains and tailor your intake to your activity levels.

Above all else, focus on variety, wholefoods and enjoyment from food.

The idea that there is one diet that will suit everyone is ludicrous. When considering what dietary pattern may suit you, it's important to look at your body fat levels. If you're very lean, you may need more energy-dense foods. If your body fat is high, you may need to consider eating less energy-dense foods.

If your bloods results show high cholesterol, high blood sugar, low iron, low vitamin B12 or changes in the functioning of your liver or kidneys, of course this needs to be considered. What's more, every individual is unique, with a unique medical history and their own set of genetic risks.

For example, a diet needs to be tailored to the risk or the presence of type 2 diabetes or other conditions and diseases. Food is also more than fuel, and is more than a tool for better health. Food can have a lot of meaning to people whether it's social, religious or otherwise.

Considering all of this, alongside taste preferences, it's really no wonder that one diet does not fit all.

Our bodies need nourishing. We have to nourish to flourish. When an extreme energy deficit is created, the body cannot feed the various systems in the body.

For example, calories of energy need to be provided to our digestive system, reproductive system and immune system in order for them to be able to function at their highest level. Digestive issues, loss of period or problems with sex hormone levels as well as regular infections can result from extreme diets.

A great way to visualise this is to consider your body to be a factory and calories as money. Some diets provide so little calories that it's only enough to keep the lights on and not enough to pay the heating, the employees and energy costs to run the machinery.

If you scrimp on calories, compensations will be made. The greater the deficit, the less your body works.

Eating better is often considered to be more expensive. This is in part due to the cost attached to the latest gimmick food. Every food that the earth offers is a superfood, whether or not its super powers have been discovered yet.

Lots of things impact upon the nutritional content of the foods we eat, from the soil it grew in, how long ago it was pulled from the ground, how it was stored, and how it was cooked.

So, even the healthiest choices can be nutritionally-depleted when you finally get to eat them.

As boring as it sounds, eating a lot of different foods, particularly those grown and produced in Ireland, is a healthier focus than reaching for the latest gimmick that has been mass-produced and transported across the world to end up on your plate.

There is nothing more infuriating than listening to the latest self-appointed 'expert', with zero qualifications, tell the masses what to eat. This is usually for financial gain.

Dietitians and nutritionists have studied for years for their well-earned qualifications. The title dietitian is protected, meaning that only a dietitian with the relevant qualifications can call themselves a dietitian.

They will be struck off the CORU (Ireland's multi-profession health regulator) registrar if their motivation is financial gain rather than improving the health of the person or if their advice is not grounded in the best available evidence.

So this year, get your advice from the qualified person. For medical advice, go to your doctor, and for nutritional advice, go to a dietitian. If in doubt, check the CORU register (see coru.ie).

Irish Independent

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I was reared on meat and not just in a dietary sense but economically too.

My Dad is an engineer at a meat processing plant, my Mum used to work in HR at a chicken factory and without the Aurivo dairy plant in Ballaghaderreen my home town would be devastated.

So many of my friends and family kept their lights on with the proceeds of beef and dairy farming when I was growing up and many are now justifiably worried about the recent trend towards meat-free diets.

Yet, there is no denying the impact beef production is having on our climate in Ireland, agriculture is the single biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, according to the latest data released by the Environmental Protection Agency. Much of these emissions come from methane produced by grazing cattle.

Still, Ive been very slow to make any dietary changes, largely because of the detrimental impact a contracting meat and dairy industry would have on rural Ireland.

So often I hear people at home argue that people my age could do much more for the environment by limiting their air travel or time spent in cars rather than target an industry which provides income for so many. The fact remains, however, that transport comes in second in terms of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland.

That said, seeking to reduce meat consumption in order to better our ecosystem seems to run in direct conflict with supporting the current economy of our small towns, and that is something Ive struggled to come to terms with.

With this in mind, agreeing to write this six-week column over the coming weeks on being a pescatarian for two weeks (no meat, but fish is fine), then a vegetarian and then a vegan was not a decision I took lightly.

I have no intention of giving up meat or becoming a vegan for the rest of my days, but I think taking the time to experience it should make me more confident in being able to do it for a day or two a week.

Aside from the environmental benefits, there are clear health benefits too, with the latest guidance from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland saying vegetarian eating one or two days a week is good for everyone.

The FSAI also recommends just one palm-sized portion of red meat or chicken a day a limit which I know I regularly exceed.

Spending six weeks without meat wont be an easy task for me I was brought up to recognise dinner as being something that had to have meat or fish in it.

It is the first building block I use when thinking about what to eat, the foundation of any meal and the ingredient I rely on to provide sustenance and satiate hunger.

Dont get me wrong, I mop up the spuds, veg and pasta with equal delight, but Ive only ever known them to be window dressing rather than the main event.

Last summer I spent a weekend at a water sports retreat in Co Mayo, where all the food is plant-based and vegetarian. I only learned this after I signed up, and, horrified, I stocked the car with protein bars and bags of popcorn for fear Id fade away.

Nothing of the sort happened. We came in from long days of surfing, paddle boarding and yoga to satisfying, steaming bowls of lentil soup, sweet potato stew and veggie burritos.

The food was delicious and filling and threatened to change my mindset around meat if I let it.

I asked for their recipes when I got home, and tried out a few to great success, only to let the habit slip in favour of my old reliable formula of meat, veg and carbs.

This time is for real, though. Ive asked Santa for Nigel Slaters Greenfeast cookbook, I have the surfing lodges recipes dusted off and my grocery list is jam packed with lentils, beans and root vegetables.

Ive even followed The Happy Pear on Instagram because forgoing my beloved chilli con carne and arguing with my uncles about climate change over Christmas was not torture enough, it seems.

This is the first in a new weekly column by Niamh Towey about cutting meat from her diet.

Sign up for one of The Irish Times'Get Runningprogrammes (it is free!).First, pick the eight-week programme that suits you.- Beginner Course:Acourse totake you from inactivity to running for 30 minutes.- Stay On Track:For those who can squeeze in a run a few times a week.- 10km Course:Designed for those who want to move up to the 10km mark.Best of luck!

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Like succulents, Veja trainers and Maya Jama, fermented foods seem to have exploded into the public consciousness fairly recently, but it's a rare person who can tell you what a fermented food actually is, how its produced, and what the possible health benefits of eating them are.

Fermentation is actually an ancient process of preserving foods, but it's come to prominence now because fermented foods are said to be game-changers for the gut because they're rich in probiotics.

So if you're curious about fermented foods like kimchi and kefir, and are thinking about implementing them into your diet, you've come to the right place. We asked nutritionist and gut health specialist and author of Be Good To Your Gut, Eve Kalinik, to explain all...

Fermented foods and drinks are those which have been through the natural process of fermentation, where yeast and bacteria convert carbs into alcohol or acids. These act as a natural preservative.

"The fermentation process produces bacteria that are believed to be good for our health and may also have a higher content of certain vitamins," says Eve. "Depending on the type of food or drink being fermented, microbes will use the starches or sugars in those foods as their own fuel source. Some fermented foods include yoghurt, cheese, kefir (water and milk), sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha." There you have it, fact fans.

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"Fermented foods have been used for thousands of years for their health promoting properties," says Eve. "More recently the attention has been focused on their potential to support gut health and associated symptoms or conditions. The research is still very sparse in this area but anecdotally there seems to be many people who have found benefits to introducing some fermented foods into their diet."

This depends on the person. "Some IBS sufferers may find that fermented foods make their symptoms worse rather than better," warns Eve. "I would advise going slowly if you are new to them, or work with nutritionist who can guide you through what might be your personal drivers and triggers for your IBS symptoms and offer advice."

If you are suffering with IBS, stress management is key, so try yoga, meditation or simple breathing exercises. Gentle movement like walking can also help some people. Eve also advises taking time over meals and chewing your food properly.

The short answer is slowly and in small amounts. "With fermented dairy, aim to buy yoghurts that say they contain live cultures and opt for full fat - the current thinking is that the fat helps the bacteria better survive the transit to the lower part of the gut where most of our microbes reside. Plus, in my personal opinion, they taste better!"

"With the fermented vegetables like sauerkraut, it is important to get the ones that say unpasteurised or raw so that the food has not been heat treated," advises Eve. "This would destroy the bacteria." Eve also recommends making a note of how your gut feels after trying a new food for the first few times, so you can find out what works for you.

There isn't enough research to say whether or not fermented foods can help with other health conditions. That said, since fermented foods may have some benefits to the health of the gut, anything that the gut influences could be positively effected by eating them. "This could include supporting the immune system and helping managing inflammation," says Eve, "although we can't say for sure yet whether or not fermented foods can directly support these issues."

Be Good to Your Gut by Eve Kalinik is published by Piatkus.

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A healthy diet and lifestyle can contribute to controlled high blood pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension is a common condition these days. If left uncontrolled high blood pressure can significantly increase the risk of heart diseases. Many factors can contribute to high blood pressure including unhealthy diet and lifestyle. But hypertension can be controlled with simple changes. You must get your blood pressure numbers monitored on a regular basis to control the condition on time. According to a study not long working hours are also linked with high blood pressure. Making simple changes can help you beat hypertension. Here's what the study revealed and also know tips to manage high blood pressure.

As per the study conducted by a Canadian research team, white-collar employees are at a higher risk of masked hypertension. The study enlisted more than 3,500 white-collar employees at three public institutions. Compared with colleagues who worked fewer than 35 hours a week, working 49 or more hours each week was linked to a 70 percent greater likelihood of having masked hypertension and a 66 percent greater likelihood of having sustained hypertension- elevated blood pressure readings in and out of a clinical setting.

Long working hours is associated with high blood pressurePhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:High Blood Pressure Remedies: These Teas Can Lower Your Blood Pressure Numbers Naturally

High blood pressure can be controlled with simple modifications. Popping pills is not the right treatment for high blood pressure. Healthy choices can help you control high blood pressure naturally. If you are also dealing with high blood pressure here are some tips that might help.

1. Regular exercise is very important. Exercise can help you prevent the risk of several diseases naturally. Similarly, regular exercise can help you control blood pressure and promote a healthy heart.

2. Consume a healthy diet. Your diet can affect a lot more than just your weight. Consumption of a healthy diet can result in a reduced risk of hypertension. You must include foods rich in fibre to your diet.

Also read:High Blood Pressure: Top 10 Foods To Lower Your Blood Pressure

3. Lose extra weight. If you are overweight you must achieve a healthy weight. Obesity and extra body weight affect your heart health and result in high blood pressure.

High blood pressure: Maintain a healthy weight to control the risk of hypertensionPhoto Credit: iStock

4. Ensure proper sleep. Lack of sleep is also associated with various health issues. It can contribute to a higher risk of hypertension as well as trigger other risk factors like obesity and poor diet as well. Try to ensure a good night's sleep.

5. Manage stress. Stress has become a common part of today's lifestyle. Stress management is extremely important to preserve heart health as well as to control blood pressure numbers. Try exercise and meditation to manage stress.

Also read:High Blood Pressure Remedies: These Teas Can Lower Your Blood Pressure Numbers Naturally

(With inputs fromANI)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Hypertension Causes: What Is The Relation Between High Blood Pressure And Long Working Hours? Know Some Prevention Steps - NDTV News

WACO, Texas The season of joy and excess is over and many of us promise ourselves we will eat healthier in the new year, but not all diets work for everyone.

Every year a fad diet comes along, but not all of them are healthy.

A new U.S. News and World Report ranked the best diets in 2020. Coming in number one for the third year in a row is the Mediterranean diet, followed by the Flexitarian diet.

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean has a lot of good qualities. Jessica Urban, a nutrition manager at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest in Waco said it's filled with fish, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. So, you can always count on getting your Omega 3 and fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation.

RELATED: Local nutritionist, chef breaks down the Mediterranean diet

Keto Diet

The popular Keto diet came in at the bottom of the list. This low-carb diet focuses on proteins and fat. Urban said, if you try it, make sure you do it right.

"It is a good idea to instead of just eating bacon or sausage, make sure you're choosing more lean types of meat," Urban said.

Don't forget carbs are important, so Urban said instead of a strict Keto diet you should throw in some whole grains.

RELATED: VERIFY: Is the Keto diet dangerous?

Vegan/Vegetarian Diet

Many people are going meatless and even chain restaurants are including meatless options on their menu, but if you don't do it right it could be unhealthy.

Urban said nutritionists and doctors will always recommend eating fruits and vegetables, but if you only eat that you could be missing out on proteins and other vitamins found in meat. Foods like nuts, beans, chickpeas, quinoa, and tofu are all good substitutes. Also, make sure you add whole grains into your meals.

If you do it right, a plant-based diet can be healthy. "There are so many good things about fruits and veggies, vita chemicals, vitamins, nutrients, cancer preventative properties and cardiovascular preventative properties as well," Urban said.

RELATED: Austin man loses 200 pounds, shares his journey to motivate you on your New Year's resolution

Don't forget to take your vitamins with any diet. This ensures you get what nutrients might be missing in your food.

Flexitarian

The Flexitarian diet has become popular in recent years. This diet is for those who don't want to go all-in on becoming vegan/vegetarian. It's a mostly plant-based diet with some meat and other animal products in moderation.

No matter which diet you choose, make sure you talk to a nutritionist or your doctor if you have health issues to see which diet will work for you.

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Diet plus exercise equals the key equation to stay in a caloric deficit and, therefore, to lose weight. You can try losing weight without exercise, but working out will help preserve your muscle mass and keep your metabolism up. Likewise, if you tried to maintain your caloric deficit through workouts alone, it would be incredibly difficult, as experts have explained to us in the past.

Registered dietitian and NASM-certified personal trainer Alix Turoff, MS, knows that finding the right workout and eating plan for weight loss is easier said than done; results are different for everyone. Plus, there are other factors that come into play like genetics, as well as stress levels and sleep.

Alix, whom we've interviewed in the past, posted the Instagram seen here to indicate that oftentimes people tend to focus on everything on the left to lose weight - intermittent fasting or keto, fasted cardio, or even apple cider vinegar. While some of these can absolutely work - she pointed to intermittent fasting, as an example - it isn't sustainable for everyone and it's not actually necessary to see results.

Alix told POPSUGAR via email that the main point of that post was to indicate that the only thing required for weight loss is a caloric deficit. "For some people, intermittent fasting can help them achieve a caloric deficit more easily," she explained. "It creates rules and some people do well with that. For other people, stressing about intermittent fasting can actually make matters worse."

Keto too, Alix said, can yield results. "That said, it does require a very controlled carbohydrate intake, and for most people, that's not going to be sustainable long term," she explained, adding that keto is also much different from just a low-carb diet because you need to be strict about eating precise carbs and protein. She explained, "Protein can be converted into glucose, which could take the body out of ketosis. So to really get in to ketosis, you won't be able to have an off day or a day where you eat some extra fruit, which makes it very hard to be flexible."

While Alix has recommended the keto diet for people with uncontrolled blood sugars, she typically doesn't advocate for cutting out specific foods to lose weight, but rather limiting them. Plus, while intermittent fasting, for instance, does work for some people, other things on the left side of the graphic she shared, such as supplements or adaptogens, "really have no research to support their use in weight loss," she noted. And, Alix wrote in her Instagram caption that oftentimes people don't even have the fat-loss basics down before they try those left-side strategies.

Alix told POPSUGAR that these fat-loss basics begin with understanding calories and macronutrients. If you skip that part, you won't learn how to balance your food, she said. Here's how to calculate how many calories you should be eating in a day for a healthy caloric deficit. And, here's one way to calculate macros for weight loss. She said you should also look at your exercise routine, too - here's a four-week workout plan for weight loss - but try to pick workouts you enjoy since that's what you are more likely to stick with. And, you should be focused on your sleep, mood, and relationships, Alix said. "If you're on a diet and you're losing weight, but your sleep is terrible or you're in a bad mood all the time, it doesn't matter how much weight you're losing because you're prioritizing weight loss over general health," she stated.

Alix concluded in her post that you should focus on the big picture, and get the basics down first. Then, you can experiment and see how you feel. As the graphic she made states, she wants people to find a way to eat in a caloric deficit while still choosing nutrient-dense foods that don't sacrifice what these people actually want to eat. Diets may work, but relying on something that isn't sustainable in the long run isn't sufficient for long-term weight loss.

Alix told POPSUGAR that working with a registered dietitian, if possible, can help you make sound decisions about what lifestyle changes are right for you. It's important, too, even without a dietitian, to be honest with yourself. "If you find yourself starting and stopping or getting on and off track, it's time to look at why that's happening," Alix said. "Does the diet cut out foods that you love? Is it too restrictive? Are you trying to be so 'perfect,' and then having it backfire?"

Alix continued on to say that slow and steady wins the race when it comes to weight loss. That's why it's important to be realistic with your expectations. "Healthy weight loss might be anywhere from half a pound to two pounds per week, depending no how much weight you have to lose," she said. So, if a diet promises you'll lose weight faster than that, it's a red flag.

An effective weight-loss regimen that's safe won't jeopardize your mental health, Alix noted in the graphic and further told POPSUGAR. Here's how to tell if a diet is affecting your mental health, according to Alix:

Lastly, Alix wants you to unfollow anyone who promotes unhealthy ways to lose weight. "Remember that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist," she said. "Sure, there are some non-RDs that are great sources of information, but I would be very careful about who you follow." She continued on to say that you should look into their education and credentials, and you should question everything. (Here's a good place to start for creditable sources.)

"Understand that there are NO QUICK FIXES," Alix wrote to POPSUGAR via email (we're a big fan of the all caps she used here). "If there were, I'd be doing it. There's no one diet that works for everyone, so if someone is claiming that they have the answer for everyone, run the other way!" Remember all of this, and for more on strategies to lose weight, here's our expert-approved guide.

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An RD Says Diets Like Keto and IF Aren't Necessary to Healthily Lose Weight - Here's Why - Yahoo Lifestyle

Research suggests that making gradual changes, and letting your brain adapt to one of them at a time, is the best way to change your eating habits over the long term.

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For many people, the new year signifies a fresh slate to eat better, lose excess weight and get healthier. Commendable goals, yes, but ones that could set you up for disappointment by February.

Instead of setting lofty goals to transform your diet and your body or committing to do too many things at once start small. Research suggests that making gradual changes, and letting your brain adapt to one of them at a time, is the best way to change your eating habits over the long term.

The following goals can help improve your diet in 2020. Instead of resolving to accomplish all of them in January, work on these goals throughout the year.

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Eat plant-based meals four times a week. A plant-based diet has been linked to a lower risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, inflammation and heart disease. It also has a smaller environmental impact than a diet based on animal foods.

Adopting a plant-based diet doesnt require you to become a vegan. It means eating proportionately more plant foods, such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, beans, lentils, peas and soy, than animal foods, including meat, dairy and eggs.

Incorporate four (or more) plant-based meals in your weekly menu to increase your intake of fibre, healthy fats, antioxidants and protective phytochemicals.

Batch cook a vegetarian chili or hearty bean soup for quick lunches or dinners. Make tacos and burritos with black beans or pinto beans instead of ground meat.

Add soy ground round to marinara sauces. Try firm tofu or tempeh in stir-fries.

Toss chickpeas with a cooked whole grain (e.g., quinoa, farro, freekeh) and sauted vegetables for a plant-based meal. Snack on nuts or edamame instead of crackers and cheese.

Add prebiotics to your daily menu. To promote digestive health this year, include prebiotic foods in your daily diet. These non-digestible fibrous carbohydrates fuel the growth of beneficial bacteria that reside in your colon.

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Thats important since these microbes, known collectively as your microbiota, synthesize certain vitamins, activate disease-fighting phytochemicals, regulate immune function and protect the lining of the gut. Your gut microbiota is also thought to play a role in inflammatory bowel disease, mental health, weight control and even food cravings.

Prebiotic foods include asparagus, dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichokes (stir-fry or roast), jicama (toss into salads), oats, whole-grain rye, barley, kefir, leeks, onions and garlic.

Use the plate model. To help reduce portion size at meals, and to fill your plate with more plants, visualize your dinner plate in quarters.

Fill half of your plate with vegetables, one-quarter with protein (e.g., fish, chicken, chickpeas, tofu) and one-quarter with healthy starchy foods (e.g., brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, sweet potato).

Instead of using a large dinner plate, consider serving your meal on a luncheon-sized plate (7 to 9 inches in diameter).

Cook more meals at home. People who cook most of their meals at home eat a wider variety of nutrient-dense foods, including more fruits and vegetables, and consume fewer highly processed foods than people who eat home-cooked meals less often. Theyre also less likely to be overweight.

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If you relied on restaurant and take-out meals last year, set a goal to cook two or three times a week and slowly increase the number of days a week you are cooking.

To save time in the kitchen, cook meals that provide leftovers such as bean soup, lentil salad, roast chicken, chili, curry and oatmeal. Look for recipes that dont involve multiple steps such as sheet-pan and one-pot meal recipes.

Drink 16 ounces of water before meals. Mild dehydration, caused by drinking too little water during the day, can trigger headaches, cause fatigue, worsen mood and impair concentration.

Healthy adults are advised to drink 12 cups (men) and 9 cups (women) of water each day, and more if exercising. While all beverages (except alcoholic beverages) count toward your water requirements, choose plain water over sugary drinks, fruit juice and diet soft drinks.

To put a dent in your daily water requirement, make a habit of drinking 16 ounces (two cups) of water before each meal. Doing so can also help you feel full and may prevent you from overeating.

Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is Director of Food and Nutrition at Medcan.

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Five simple healthy eating goals for January and beyond - The Globe and Mail

We all make em and break em 92% of all new years resolutions fail.

Actually expect massive dissolution of resolutions this coming week the second Friday of January is Quitters Day. Motivation is already fading fast. Promises of moving more, eating less or beefing up our bank accounts are fizzling.

Every new year people make resolutions that are highly restrictive, unrealistic and unsustainable, setting themselves up for failure before they even start, says registered dietitian Jillian Kubala, of jilliankubalanutrition.com.

Head off that fateful day and be part of the 8% that make their resolution a dream come true. Keep it simple and realistic, says Kubala. Pledging to lose mega pounds with a super-restrictive 1,000 calorie per day diet or committing to a 5 a.m. spin class daily may have you resolving to an epic fail from day one.

Research shows time and again that restrictive diets dont work and that most people who drop pounds using restrictive dieting methods regain up to 95% of the weight lost within five years. Additionally, studies have shown that at least one third of dieters end up regaining more weight than they originally lost, says Kubala, who uses the Instagram handle @jillian_kubala_rd to share wellness tips.

Theres still time to tweak that resolution into something realistic and sustainable. Were a mere five days into 2020, lots of time to fine-tune and re-aim your resolve so you get where you want to go.

Kubala offers up these resolutions that you can actually keep:

Eat less added sugar. Foods and beverages high in added sugar include soda, candy, sugary cereals, sweetened yogurts, energy drinks, sweetened coffee drinks, and baked goods.

Eat more vegetables. If you currently only eat veggies once or twice a week, make a resolution to eat one serving every day with dinner, then work up from there.

Cut out or reduce highly processed foods. For optimal health, whole, nutrient-dense foods should be making up the majority of your diet. Cut back on fast food and highly processed packaged foods. Start with focusing on one meal, then work up from there.

Move more in any way that works for you. Your new activity routine needs to fit in with your schedule to increase the chances of success such as walking for 30 minutes three days a week before work or on weekends. Enlist a friend or coworker to to hold you more accountable. Expending more energy in general is the most important thing, no matter the intensity.

Less screen time. Most people spend way too much time on their phones or staring at TV or computer screens, which can increase chances ofweight gain and depressive symptoms. Try uninstalling social media from your phone and trying out a new hobby.

Stop the dieting cycle. Cyclical or yo-yo dieting has been linked with a host of negative health outcomes. Choose to create a nourishing eating pattern that makes you feel good about yourself and doesnt involve unnecessary restrictions. A registered dietitian can help you start and/or maintain a healthy eating plan.

Sleep on it!

You feel your willpower waning? Then sleep on it, says Dr. Michael Breus, a New York sleep specialist and clinical psychologist. Bad ZZZZs will keep you from reaching simple goals, let alone a year-long resolution. The sleep deprived will simply continue to not achieve their true potential, or even get close to it.

All new years resolutions are affected by sleep resolutions are actually rest-o-lutions! says Breus.

We are sleep deprived big-time. Its epidemic proportions. Over 50% of women appear to complain about their sleep not getting good sleep more than three nights per week, says Breus. We now have both an overweight and an obese society, and with it comes sleep apnea, which effects about 20% of the total population but more like 80% of the overweight/obese population.

Thats not all: Bad sleep hygiene includes excessive screen time for both adults and kids, and copious amounts of caffeine. Its literally everywhere, or hidden in energy drinks. Not only does this prevent many people from going to sleep, but for those that can still fall asleep, the quality of that sleep is terrible, says Breus.

Not too late to make sleep your rest-o-lution:

Pick bedtime and wake-up time and stick to it.

Stop caffeine early. Caffeine has a half life of six to eight hours, so stopping at 2 p.m. means at least half is out of your system before bedtime, which will help you fall asleep easier and maintain sleep quality.

Stop alcohol three hours before lights out. It takes the average human one hour to digest one adult beverage.

Get a good exercise session in during the day.

Have a peaceful ritual every night like reading a book, walking your pet, or having a nice shower or bath.

The dirt on gyms

Youre hitting the gym to lose weight and get healthy?

Beware the germs, viruses, and fungus! The gym is one dirty place, according to Bryan Combs, a nurse practitioner at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Get a grip and keep your immune system healthy. Handlebars on ellipticals, treadmills, stationary bicycles and weight machines are covered in bacteria. Clean them yourself with wipes or a disinfectant spray before and after each use, recommends Combs.

Dont assume the gym towels are clean. A lot of gyms use the same container to carry dirty towels to the washing area and then use the same one to bring clean towels back, so they can become contaminated again, says Combs.

Reusable water bottles and gym bags are germ carriers. Wash your bottle after every use and use a disinfectant spray regularly on your gym bag.

Head off fungal infections like athletes foot by always wearing shoes in all areas of the gym, but especially in change rooms and in the shower. If you sit down, make sure a clean towel is placed on top of the bench or seat.

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When the miles ramp up or life gets hectic, exhaustion all too readily creeps in. While we're sure you'd love nothing more than to tuck into bed and hibernate until you're back at your best, that's usually not a choice.

Fortunately, there are a few smart steps you can take to fend off runner's fatigue and power through energy challenges in your path.

After a long run, it's often second nature to face-plant the sofa and completely chill-ax. We're not saying don't have that precious rest, but before you go to bed that evening take some time to kickstart your recovery.

A German study in 2018 found that cold water immersion and massage are more effective for post-run recovery than passive rest, so get that ice bath going.

If you don't fancy a cold splash, ease out sore muscles with some targeted stretching and foam rolling - calves, hips and quads are common trouble makers. You could even multi-task the foam rolling and stretch sessions with a TV catch-up. An easy win-win.

Post-work drinks? A last minute night out with friends? Packing in a few extra chores at the weekend? Remember, you can say no. If you've been pushing your boundaries in areas like training then it might be best to take a rain check on other commitments.

Too many small stressors easily stack up, rapidly leading to exhaustion and burnout - the opposite of what you need if you're trying to avoid fatigue, obviously. Consider the pros and cons of what's in the diary and don't be afraid to 'be boring' and rest up. You'll thank yourself when you wake up the next day feeling fresh and raring to go.

If you're not replacing the energy you burn on the run, you'll struggle to maintain the pace across your training programme. We all know the myth of runners needing non-stop carbs is, sadly, just a myth, but many of us still fall into the trap of trying to satiate our run-ger with big servings of them.

While carbs are an important part of a healthy diet, protein is essential for repairing and rebuilding muscles after exercise. Protein shakes are a quick, simple way to take in a serving of protein without too much faff.

The new fat-free, sugar-free Maximuscle Plant Max is ideal - it packs 20g of protein per 30g portion and is made with all-natural ingredients. It has similar protein levels to whey, but is sourced from pea (73%) and brown rice (12%), so it's soy-free. Perfect for plant-based diets or anyone looking for alternatives to whey protein.

Maximuscle Plant Max Vegan Protein Powder 480g

20.00

Sleep is your body's opportunity to rest and repair the microscopic damage done by training. Ensure you can nod off easily - and maintain sleep quality throughout the night - by avoiding alcohol and caffeine near bedtime.

While an evening beer may see you fall asleep quickly, your quality of sleep will be poorer overall as the body's temperature will be higher than optimum for sleep - not ideal.

If you struggle to stop your mind racing when you get into bed, use an app or streaming service to play a guided meditation or a yoga nidra recording to help mind and body settle down. Even your muscles will thank you for it.

To really make the most of your sleep, a protein-rich snack an hour or so before bed can also help overnight recovery from exercise, suggests a study from Maastricht University - try peanut butter on rice cakes or a shake made with protein powder, milk of your choice and banana.

When it comes to exercise, more isn't necessarily better. If you're struggling to hit your target pace or it feels much harder to complete your sets in the gym, give yourself a break. Pushing through fatigue is a sure-fire way to pick up an injury or put yourself at risk of illness - neither of which you're after.

Don't be afraid to cut a session short and try again another day when you're feeling more yourself.

Discover the new Maximuscle Plant Max range at maxinutrition.com

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5 easy ways to fight runner's fatigue - Runner's World (UK)