I had the opportunity to give some New Year’s resolution tips on CNN last weekend. Here’s what happened (video below) and the tips that will help you get healthy not just in the new year, but for life!
Resolution Tweaks That Stick
- Don’t give up carbs. Going without carbs for life is just crazy and not sustainable – could you imagine not being able to eat a piece of cake ever again? Try going for the best carbs available instead. Think quinoa instead of white rice, steel cut oats instead of processed cereal like Cheerios, and sprouted wheat instead of bleached refined white flour. Choosing the best possible ingredients is a much more sustainable way of life!
- Don’t set weight loss goals. Focus less on weight and more on getting healthier for life. If you are drinking or eating things you shouldn’t – linked to obesity, cancer, etc, try replacing those foods with something better. For example, try replacing soda with sparkling water or kombucha that has a natural fizziness to it or your artificially colored and flavored chips with baked homemade ones. Also, you could replace the artificial sweetener in your coffee with organic stevia extract or coconut palm sugar. You don’t have to deprive yourself if you make better choices.
- Instead of a crash or liquid diet, add one organic green drink a day before breakfast or dinner. Chlorophyll rich foods like spinach, kale, and collards blended with fruit or juiced can alleviate cravings because they provide a burst of nutrition that the typical American diet doesn’t get. When your body doesn’t get what it needs nutritionally speaking, cravings continue which lead to weight gain.
- Instead of going all out vegan or vegetarian which is hard to do cold turkey, vow to only eat meat that you know the source of and that is not factory farmed. I have a ton of meat-free recipes available here to get you started! When you go to a restaurant to eat, ask about the meat, if they don’t have a sustainable option available go for a vegetarian option. Furthermore, here’s how to dine out GMO free.
- Instead of doing a radical diet overhaul that will make you feel overwhelmed, try just changing one meal a day, but everyday. For example, instead of your egg and cheese sandwich or bagel for breakfast that you had every day last year, try fruit, oatmeal or one of my green smoothie recipes in the morning. Changing just part of your day will influence other decisions you make about eating and this could be the start to making everlasting changes.
- Don’t just say you are going to “exercise more” or “get fit” – Do something every single day that will lead to that result. Develop a habit, routine and schedule it in your day. Everyone should get at least 1 hour a day for wellness. Before work, during a lunch break, or right after work are often great times for this. If you do this at the same time everyday, your body and mind will adapt and it will become easier for you to create a new habit. Focus less on the end result and more the habit forming activity that you like doing.
- And when all else fails…. try one of these habits below to start and see if you can make them stick! These habits have stuck with me year after year, making it easier to maintain my weight and a healthy way of life.
Watch Live CNN Interview Here:
If you are struggling with getting a habit to stick, I’d love to hear about it… or maybe you have another tip to share. Please comment below.
Wishing you the best New Year! It is going to be awesome!
Food Babe
P.S. 12/30/2014 UPDATE – Amazon has a 44% discount on my new book THE FOOD BABE WAY right now! Order it here. This book has 21 new habits (or mini resolutions) for you to break free from the toxins in your food, lose weight, and look years younger. Get it sent straight to your doorstep on Feb. 10th so you are ready to start this plan on the first day of its release!
That was excellent Vani! Succinct, specific, educational and encouraging.
Thank you Jessica! I very much appreciate your very sweet feedback! 🙂
I concur 🙂 thank you! I’m going to share!
Love it!!!! I have always felt that resolutions are a set up for failure! Set personal goals & try to make changes. We are three years into our journey to healthier eating & living habits and far from perfect 🙂 Take the stumbles along the way as learning lessons. I’m learning that my body is telling me when I have strayed off of the path! We are all only human. Great advice as always!!
Thank you Marsha. Keep up the good work.
Great interview glad you got the GMO comment in hopefully that will help the cause to eliminate Monsanto’ s dominate on our food chain. Yikes!
Or dominance. 🙂
Thanks for noticing! Me too! Love talking about GMOs on national TV 😉
I totally agree, that was awesome to hear you speak out against it on National TV!!! Wtg Vani and might I add you looked gorgeous!
I sometimes feel overwhelmed with all the things I need to change. I started reading your articles last year, and making changes, and actually realized that doing small things, a littlecat a time adds up! I did not notice until someone asked me where I kept sugar, and I do not have any bc we quit buying it. We switched to almond milk months ago. I started looking at my groceries, and my cupboards and frig are way different this year than last.
Thank you!
GREAT interview Vani!! 🙂 You handled yourself very professionally, sounded absolutely amazing and look wonderful!! So proud of you!!
Thank you Sue! I’m pretty new to being a regular on national news!
We will be launching a health website so stay tuned. Hey Vani/AKA Food Babe glad you are in the good fight like us on educating the public and helping people get healthier. We are also in development of an organic raw food music video if you ever want to be a part of. Happy 2014
This is great advice! 🙂
Thank you so much Bonnie! Hope it helps.
Congratulations!! This is an amazing phenomenon happening right before our very eyes…some of our strongest and favorite health mentors becoming so prominent through social media and having the chance to spread the word in a very BIG way. I am confident that the marketplace will be undergoing a great change. There will be no way to keep the truth hidden like the propaganda spread in recent history for mere commercial gain like cigarettes are good for a body. So, unless someone is completely off the grid or living under a rock, it will be very hard not to be part of this fantastic (r)evolution. Thank you very, very much to Vani, Kristina and all the others who are spreading this light!!!
I too love this post. It is clear and to the point. I agree that little changes make all the difference. Focusing on health versus a number makes setting your goals stick. Thanks again for all the tips!
Thanks for this. It’s actually pretty much just the conclusion I’d worked my way toward, so I’m glad to know I’m on the right track!
I love your playful yet realistic tips on resolutions.
This year, I’m doing something totally radical. Something I’ve never done before, something DRASTIC.
I share my drastic approach on my blog: http://carolinefrenette.com/letting-go-resolutions-making-space-inner-guidance/
Happy New Year and much success to you Vani!
i SO love your posts & emails. You are so inspiring, positive, and tell the TRUTH- no BS.
Thanks for being out there. xx
Hi Vsni,
I am so grateful for all the research that you have done regarding GMOs and what products are in our food and products we use. Your work is inspiring.
I was curious why there has not been more investigation in meat and animal products since you are a big advocate for truth/health/what we put in our bodies. I have done a lot of research on food and health myself and have read several scientific publications, research, seen documentaries and testimonials of meat and animal products not being good for our health…due to animal protein, cholesterol, and fat.
What are your thoughts on this?
Thank you for all the work that you do, and I look forward to your continuing fight for the truth!
As always, great suggestions. Practical, clear and easier to follow. Especially appreciated your comment about meat. Being plant-based doesn’t mean never eating meat, but if people only ate quality meat and other animal products in much smaller amounts, they not only would be healthier but so would our planet. People complain about how expensive it is to eat organic, grass-fed, non-GMO food but what about all the other hidden costs? Love the food swaps and ideas here. Keep being a great voice in the world!
Great advice! I really like #1 because so many people are currently calling carbs the enemy still and are so big on no carb diets. Question: From #5, what’s wrong with an egg & cheese sandwich particularly if its a farm egg, raw milk cheese, and Ezekiel bread?
Nothing… I was talking about a McMuffin 🙂
whew! 🙂
Thank you so much Food Babe! It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by your healthy resolutions, but those tips are definitely going to help keep me on track. Keep it up!
very good – the protein powder info that you have posted is very informve ative – i WOULD LIKE TO START using protein powder – I have been making smoothies in the morning, I use almond milk, fruit, honey, blueberries or strawberries..however, ilove coffee, and have to have a creamer…I use flavored creamers…what else can I use? DON’T like milk or milk products…what else can I use? Also, we cannot afford organic meat – and my husband likes meat…any other suggestions?
Have you tried this recipe? It’s amazing!
https://foodbabe.com/2012/08/06/my-new-love-homemade-pistachio-milk/
Thank you Vani, I think the message of small changes is a great one…..”when you know better you do better” and I really appreciate your education.
Great job on the interview and you have a “killer smile”……I’m surprised toothpaste companies aren’t after you for whitening ads…..good job!
I love your tips. They are very doable and not overwhelming, especially for those that are just starting to take care of their health for the first time.
I have been following this simple advice and have lost 10 pounds (never even thought about loosing weight) by simply doing green drinks and reading my labels. I also walk EVERY DAY. My muscles are lean and I feel good!! I love you Vani!
Great tips Vani! Thank you.
The only other tip I have is to eat a large green salad for dinner BEFORE the rest of your meal. This fills you up with antioxidant rich, fiber filled foods which keeps you from overeating 🙂 (At least it does for me.)
Love this tip Mariah, thanks for sharing!
Great tips and i started your Lemon hot water and i ‘m sticking to it. 12 Hr fast , which i always do.
I love your advises and keep up the good work.
I try to stay away from flour as much as possible, but there are times when entertaining I have to use it. I have purchase organic sprouted wheat flour, yet it’s been staring at me from my kitchen counter for several months. I am not sure how to approach it. Do I use it the same as I would regular flour in recipes? Will it thicken sauces and gravies? I am excited that I have this option at a local, 100% organic store here in Florida, but I’ve been too busy to research it. I also didn’t want to mess up any recipes over the holidays with company visiting. Any suggestions, guide lines, books I should read would be wonderful! On that note, I would love to know more about using Gluten Free options, such as cornstarch or arrowroot as thickeners/replacements as well.
What about gluten in sprouted bread (thinking Ezekiel brand)? Should we avoid gluten and go for gluten free bread (yuck in my opinion so i just don’t eat bread)?
What does “fast every single day” mean?
Thank you so much for you hard work and research. Because of people like you and videos like Food Inc and Food Matters, my husband and two daughters and I have decided to eat an organic whole foods lifestyle. My husband and I have lost 18 lbs each and that is just changing our lifestyle. No crash “diets” just switching foods to better ones. Your work doesn’t go unnoticed and I hope someday my research will help find places to eat in OKC, OK that are GMO free as well. Thank you Vani for your selflessness and wanting to share this info with the world. You are certainly making a difference.
Over the past two years I’ve totally overhauled my diet. Eat %95 organic, all non-GMO, mostly meats, veggies and fruits. Still can’t shed a damn pound. Makes no sense. I’m now trying fasting from 8pm-11am. Frustrated in CT.
Dude, I’m right there with you. Don’t get frustrated. One thing that I did was started doing squats. Just standing with my feet spread about a foot or so (to where it was comfortable, no joint pain etc.) and from a fully standing position squatted down to my ankles and back up. Just by doing that I dropped a few inches off of my waist in a couple of months. I started off with 15 and worked my way up to 80. My goal is to do at least 500 a day. Now I’ve added planking and push-ups to the program. It doesn’t take as much time as you think, and your legs will be rock hard before you get to 50 a day. I stopped looking at my scale and looked at my clothes. Weight is only a number. I wish you luck!!
Thank you Vani! It is a daily struggle to overcome bad choices with good ones even when I know better. You have broken it down to make each choice not seem so overwhelming. Thank you so much for doing what you do. I love the information and the “Food Babe Army” to help me along in my desire to regain control of my food choices. Thank you!
Congratulations on this successful interview on CNN! I chuckled every time you took out your slingshot and hit another Goliath between the eyes! Monsanto, Cheerios, the soda industry (Coke, Pepsi, etc.), bleached flours (who wasn’t thinking, “Gold Medal is something I can replace with Ezekiel 4:9”?!) and laid great alternatives to each! You’ve got some big companies on the run. 🙂 Bravo for speaking the truth to the masses.
Ann – Makes me sooooooo happy you noticed that 🙂
Excellent interview! I’m glad that you provide easy, specific examples of small changes people can make to live healthier lives. I learned quite a bit from you last year. I can’t wait to see what’s on tap for this year! Thank you for all you do.
You are making great strides in educating and informing those of us that care to know about our food supply. You’re a leading force in creating the changes we want to see in our food supply!
Some people question why I bother eating cleanly because I could be “hit by a bus” at anytime. I tell them that I’m not so much concerned about the quantity of my life as much as I am about the quality of my life, while I’m still alive. 😉 #FoodBabeArmy
Totally!!!! You get it. So awesome 🙂
I really like your blog. I think you give great advice and information. Keep up the good work. I’m definitely a fan of your!!
Dear Foodbabe, thank you for all of your guidance and pertinent advise you give us. Besides being our mentor, you are also our advocate, and you still manage to be kind to us while keeping us on track and addressing areas, like new year resolutions, and helping and encouraging us to make them more of a reality and gain more success in the process. We are truly blessed by you in many ways.
Great advice. Thank you. My one question is what you have listed at the end about fasting everyday. Can you explain how to do that please ?
There’s a link in the post to exactly what I mean… here it is for quick reference: https://foodbabe.com/2011/12/30/habits-for-the-new-year-and-beyond-3-fast-every-single-day/
Years ago my resolutions would always include dropping 5 pounds. As I’ve learned more about nutrition and fitness though, I’ve learned it’s not about the numbers on the scale, it’s about your health. This year the goal is to get stronger by lifting more and higher weights and to cut out super-processed foods 🙂
Great goals Whitney! I’m also lifting a bit heavier 🙂
Thank you for all that you do! I love your suggestions. Keep up the good work. I would love to see you on GMA soon too!
Great job! Thanks for all you do!
Hi Vani,
I am passionate about what you are doing and would love to be involved. I don’t live in the same state as you but wondered if you would ever consider hiring someone in the Dallas Texas area who enjoys doing research and investigate products, companies, etc.? I am completely committed to the same causes you are, as an example I am thrilled that Whole Foods has banned Chobani because they are not non-gmo but there is so much more that needs to be done. Please let me know your thoughts on this, I would love to be on your team!
Randie Cassuto (214-536-4320)
Inspiring tips – THANK YOU! I have recently added green (and red:) juices to my diet and have noticed a HUGE difference in cravings. Particularly satisfying is the reduction in craving for diet coke – I’m done – and successfully this time! 🙂 One other area I have focused on is my GI flora. Have been eating fermented raw sauerkraut and drinking coconut kefir on a regular basis. Together with some more regular yoga, focusing on organic meats and veggies, I have had huge changes in my life. I have one question related to the safety of juicing daily (and also the lemon water). I am guessing you have had this question before: what about teeth enamel and cavity risk with these practices? Have you heard of people having problems with this related to juicing and lemon water consumption? Thank you for what you do!!
Jenna – that is freaking amazing. Congrats and keep up the good work! FYI – I drink lemon water with a glass straw and have had better teeth health than I ever have!
Great advice that can resonate with those who set unrealistic expectations in the new year. Remember that 80’s movie, “What about Bob?”. “Baby Steps, it’s all about baby steps.”
I’ve learned that making small tweaks will eventually lead to a dramatic (and lasting) change to my habits.
I’m so glad you are getting such great press! I’m rooting for your message to be heard by the masses!
Hi Vani, enjoyed your great interview on resolutions.
Also, thanks for all the work you’re doing to help bring down some of the giants, especially when related to GMO’s. In my opinion, GMO’s are the greatest health threat we face right now. I’m also passionate about spreading awareness about avoiding them in all forms.
Also, I agree with you that some people have a higher need for carbs, and that a low carb diet is not realistic for them – I’m one of those, just like you. However, many people do great on low carb – my hubby is one of those!
I also agree that’s it’s unrealistic for people to give up sweet things entirely. That’s one of the reasons that I created my own low sugar, protein bars with nothing artificial added. Would love to see if you think they meet the “Food Babe” standard.
Great interview! Thanks for being my inspiration this last year! I buy everything I can organic because of YOU and even marched against Monsanto. I look forward to your articles and posts this coming year!
Great interview and great tips – these are sure to help your readers be successful in reaching their goals. In 2010 I did most of what your tips describe (I confess I did not really exercise – and need to find time to work that in this year!). I started with small changes, i.e. changing my breakfast to a vegan protein smoothie with greens and berries every morning. Small changes = results which encouraged me to increase my lfestyle changes a bit more as the weeks passed. For example, reduce gluten by 50%, then 70, 80 – realizing it was not so hard once you got started.
I also cut down on my toxic intake by changing to non endocrine disrupting hygiene and skincare products to help bring my hormones back into balance, as you can exercise 5 days a week, but if your body is in estrogen overload you’re going to struggle. Xeno-estrogens are in more than our growth-hormone fed cattle and milk!
AND perhaps another tip, that certainly helped me, was not to deprive myself of rewards. If I ate smart all week my treat would be a mocha latte made with almond milk on Friday mornings, and/or 3 nibbles on an organic 80% dark chocolate cacoa 1-2 tmes a week – just to satisfy that chocolate urge and enjoying the benefits.
Once I lost 62 lbs – I was then motivated to doing an elimination/cleanse program – which was pretty amazing as well to FEEL the results and realize joint pain did not have to be a part of life once you learn the foods that cause it.
One more tip…consider your WHY for your goal, write it down and post it around the home. For myself, when it was “about me” diets never worked. I realized that I was on a fast track to nursing home care or worse in my old age, and decided I would not put my children through that if I had the power to change it. When my chldren’s future became my WHY it seemed to make all the difference, and at last I was successful.
I have been following your posts for a while now and am a little confused, as you keep recommending stevia, and yet I have been seeing from other posts that I follow – all of whom indicate that it is not as innocent as once thought. Can you shed any light on this? I don’t actually use any artificial sweetener but I also reduce any natural sugar that I use in recipes.
She recommends pure stevia with no additives. Truvia is just one of the many “stevia” products out there that is NOT pure stevia. It contains a sugar alcohol derived from GMO corn called erythritol. Many other “stevia” products contain maltodextrin. So, read labels and make sure you’re getting water extracted stevia with no additives (or, even make your own!)
Thanks for your reply, but I did not ask about Truvia – in fact I haven’t even heard of that one!
Hi Vani,
I really like the idea of daily fasting (12 – 16 hours every day) and all the possible benefits one might get. I was wondering however, if everyday fasting affects a woman’s fertility. I appreciate your view on things and was wondering what your thoughts are on the matter. Thanks.
I was so glad to see you list kombucha as a good sub for soda. I just recently discovered GT’s Kombucha. It that OK? I have been buying it from Earth Fare so I thought it was a good choice, but wanted to make sure before I make a habit of drinking one every day (which I have been doing). Love your updates!!!
Yes – I love the stuff!
Can you expand on “Fast everyday”?
Just read a great blog post about real food and new years resolutions: http://pantrymedicine.com/blog/msbw6lclefx1tia5dx78yvc4b33y0x . It talks about redefining real food for the new year instead of restricting certain food groups. Made me think of your blog!
I never have New Years resolutions.. It stresses your body more when you go off of them.. so .. one day at a time I apply my goals and it is working!
I feel fab!
Great interview! Great Advice!
Most wheat, corn and soy are GMO. Is sprouted wheat not GMO?