Congratulations to our winners:
With the festive season behind us, it’s time to embrace a brand-new year… and a brand-new you! After a few weeks of food, family and fun, people often make new year’s resolutions that involve healthy eating and better habits, but then find it hard to stick to them. And with so many demands on your time and scrumptious delicacies tempting you to fall off the wagon at every turn, it isn’t always that easy to remain committed to these resolutions.
So, how do you make sure you give your body the health boost it needs to help you reach your wellbeing goals this year?
Just as the name suggests, breakfast breaks the overnight fasting period and replenishes your energy levels with essential nutrients required for good health and a more productive day. It’s also been proven that people who eat breakfast are more likely to meet their recommended daily intakes of vitamins and minerals than people who don’t.
But why is this important? Essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients found in food power your body with what it needs to help you make it to the next meal. Foods rich in vitamins, protein and fibre are a great way to start your day. Eating a balanced breakfast also ups your metabolism and means you’re less likely to turn to snacks during the day.
Including more protein in your diet has many benefits for the body: it helps you feel fuller for longer, boosts your metabolism, and helps build and maintain your muscles. Getting enough protein is absolutely essential, especially if you’ve committed to an active lifestyle. This is because protein helps aid with muscle recovery and growth.
High-quality proteins exist in animal-based protein foods such as lean poultry, beef, fish, dairy, egg products and whole eggs, but it can also be found in plant-based options like nuts, seeds, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans and tofu. There are so many good protein options to choose from, so swap the empty carbs for beans or throw a couple of almonds into your salad instead of croutons.
Apart from making you more alert, a good night’s sleep can lead to better concentration and productivity. You’ll also start to feel a boost of energy that can lead to an improved workout. So, how do you ensure you invest in those precious Z’s?
There are so many ways you can improve your sleep quality. For starters, establish a bedtime routine, try go to bed at the same time each night and stop screen time well before lights out. Spend more time outside, get active and lastly, try lowering your stress levels – either through exercise or meditation. Your body will thank you!
How often do you find yourself nibbling on something you shouldn’t when those hunger pangs hit? Reduce snacking and make healthier choices by planning your meals beforehand. This tactic can also save you some money because you won’t be impulsively buying lunches and snacks on the go.
Likewise, if you get into a routine that involves cooking and prepping meals (or parts of meals) on the weekend, you’ll have one less thing to worry about during the week – truly a win-win situation.
Looking for something new to spice up your Monday nights? Meat-free dinner options are great if you love experimenting with new and interesting flavours and textures and want to get more good-for-you, fibre-packed veggies in your diet. As an added bonus, plant-based meals can work out to be much cheaper than animal-protein dishes.
From delicious lentil and chickpea burgers to falafels with a creamy garlic dip, there are so many options, you won’t even notice the absence of meat.
Most New Year’s resolutions involve improving your health or happiness, but to achieve these goals, you need to pick specific, realistically achievable and measurable goals. By just making small changes to your current lifestyle, you’ll soon find yourself living a healthier, happier and more sustainable life.
Ts&Cs apply. Competition will run online and in print. By entering the competition, you accept The Citizen’s standard terms and conditions. Premium members get an automatic entry to all citizen.co.za competitions.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
