As the year begins, you may be considering a New Year’s resolution. Maybe you made a resolution last year and stuck with it, or maybe you had totally forgotten about it by February. Maybe you don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions.

Regardless, it may help if you have a better idea of what exactly a New Year’s resolution is and what you’d like it be, too. A New Year’s resolution is a promise that you make to yourself or others to carry out an idea or action.

Health and fitness resolutions are some of the hardest to keep. However, these resolutions can be crucial to improving both your physical and mental health. Don’t make the mistake that many often do — make big, unattainable goals and end up disappointed. Start out with small and doable fitness goal, then build from there.

1. Go for a walk after dinner. Tip: If you don’t have a dog who’s expecting a walk, bring a family member with you or just some headphones to pass the time. You can start with short distances at first.

2. Get familiar with a new machine. Tip: Ease into a new machine at the gym. Be sure to start slow and don’t overexert yourself.

3. Move every day. Tip: Some days you may move less than others, and that’s OK. Listen to your body, but try to loosen up to prevent stiffness and injury.

4. Address problem areas before they get worse. Tip: Buy yourself a small ice pack that you can put on areas you’ve previously injured or that frequently get sore. Use it nightly or in the morning after you stretch.

5. Drink an extra glass of water each day. Tip: Pick a time of day that makes sense for you, such as first thing in the morning. Consider swapping out a sugary or caffeinated beverage for water.

6. Learn how to prepare a vegetable dish you love. Tip: Choose an easy recipe if you’re new to cooking. It doesn’t have to require the oven, either. You can easily create unique salsas or salads.

2021 has been a challenging year for all of us, but we can’t let that stop you from living our best life!

~ Jade Asuncion

I had the privilege to interview a nutritionist and yoga instructor who works with Joie de Vivre. We spent some of the afternoon discussing nutrition and wellness in everyday life and some information I thought would be extremely insightful for others to hear as well. These snippets can be advice that I believe everyone can use as guidelines to living your best life. These answers are directly from the amazing mind of Julie herself, so the answers will be a bit more personal as to not lose any impact on her words.

1. What are the best foods to eat on a busy day?

   So, I would say to start with a decent breakfast. Look at things that have a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates, and good healthy fats. A good default is fresh yogurt that is not sweetened, and eat that with a bit of fruit and some chia or granola. You want to be sure to get your daily fiber, which comes from the fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, and seeds. As for good protein, for the mornings fresh organic cows milk or non-sweetened yogurt is a good choice. But protein can come from non meat source such as nut milk or soy milk as well. Cheeses are also a good source for protein and calcium. Finally for healthy fats, good sources to get these are in seeds (such as chia, flax, and hemp), nuts, and avocados.
   
   When you are getting through a busy day, its important to limit your caffeine intake as much as possible. As much as we may need it to start the day you should try to limit the coffee intake. This is because it can add a lot of sugar and unhealthy fats to your diet(if you get a frappuchino or really sweet drink for instance or load up your coffee with sugar and milk). All of that sugar combined with caffeine and extra fat can alter your energy levels throughout the day and it can impact your work. If you do have to drink something in the morning, use herbal tea. Herbal tea has natural stimulants inside the flowers and plants that brew it, and these gently wake the body up. They are better at keeping energy levels consistent throughout the day.
   
   Finally snacks are just as important as meals. To pick a good snack, look for anything that travels well such as fresh fruit, hummus, nuts, and hard cheeses (like cheddar, gouda, or asiago) are good sources of protein, calcium, and vitamin D. There are also some decent protein bars out there too, just keep a look out for the amount of processing and sugar that goes into them. In general for a busy day, the most important thing is to bring awareness to your diet. Try to eat as little processed food as possible and if you end up in a situation where you have to eat out, be mindful about what goes into your meal. Look for fruits, vegetables, quality carbohydrates, protein that is not fried or saturated in oil. And finally look for color, a meal where everything is a different color is sure to be something nutritious.

2. How much does diet play a role in ones life?

   This is huge, because I don’t actually like the use the word diet. I prefer to use f lifestyle choice. Because ‘diet’, that word gets a bad rap and is limiting. For humans, food is supposed to be enjoyable, nourishing, and social. Its about having a lifestyle of being aware of what we need. Food is there so we can survive on a physical level, but theres also a sense of thriving in the realms of emotions and mental and social because it helps us deepen connections with those we share around us. Its something thats part of us. Food is a thing that connects us to the planet, on a bigger picture the planet is what sustains us. We are not separate from what we eat, its part of how we thrive on so many different levels. So it’s really important in someone’s daily life.

3. If you could lean a new skill what would it be and why?

   If I were gonna learn a new skill, it would be the art of writing. I love to read.  Even in short passages that may be one or two sentences, I find these are things that stick with you. All throughout my life there have been books and texts and things, but I find those people who have a way to writing really short and concise impactful writing are far more impressive. That’s something I would love to have, I even joke with my husband how one of these days I’m going to learn how to use a pottery wheel once we aren’t so busy and the kids are grown.

4. What light exercises do you think are Most beneficial to sustaining a positive mood?

   I teach yoga so this is big for me as well. I’ve also been as student of yoga for a really long time. I’ve been teaching for years now, and what Ive found is best is sun-salutations. It helps to bring your energy up for one, but it also forces you to stop everything and be in the present moment. You aren’t needing to focus on anything else except for keeping yourself balanced and right here. These poses are easy and not very intense, they are mild and anyone can do them. I even do then when I find myself overwhelmed during the workday and just need a few moments to slow down and ground myself. There are also some other poses that are really good for the mind and mood if you need to reconnect with yourself such as forward folds, downward dog, tree pose, and child pose.

5. What motivated you to pursue the desire to help people lead a better life?

   First of all I really love quality food, that could be an answer in itself. But the biggest thing is that; in the past several years I’ve lived in a space where it can be very overwhelming and busy. So its easy to make the food choices that may not be the best for me or my family. Im in this environment where my choices affect myself and the way I impact my family, so I can really connect to the idea that when I make good food choices for myself and my house, it makes such a difference. I know that it’s a struggle and that it can be some work not only to give into convenience and cravings, but with some planning Ive found that in my own life how happy me and my family are when we are eating mindfully.
   
   We are bombarded with unhealthy food choices, and it may fill us temporarily, but it leaves other aspects of our life empty. I’ve wanted to show people that with some planning you can completely overhaul the way that you eat, still feel satisfied, and eat what you love but not have the struggle associated with it. I think it’s empowering too, because people realize they have the tools they need to take control of their life inside of them already. It can be really inspiring once people start using this mindset that they previously didn’t give much time to. Even making one change shows that every little change that you make makes such a big difference. So me being able to show people how you can make these changes one step at a time is super fulfilling. 

Start your day with this flavorful fruit smoothie. It’s a delicious breakfast, but also serves as well as an afternoon snack or even a frosty deserve it. Top with fresh berries and mix-in chia seeds which are packed with protein and antioxidants! 

It’s best served icy cold or straight for the blender.

Ingredients
1/2 cup of plain low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries
1 banana
1 tablespoon of agave
1 cup of crushed ice
1 tablespoon of blueberries
2 blackberries
1/4 teaspoon of chia seeds
1 flower top (optional)

Place the yogurt, strawberries, banana, and agave in the blender; process to combine. Add the ice; process until smooth. Add blueberries, blackberries, chia seeds, and flower to garnish. Serve immediately or chill.

It might taste sweet, but when it comes to health, sugar is more naughty than nice.

The sweet stuff is one of the culprits responsible for signs of aging, thanks to glycation, a process that occurs when sugar is transformed into blood glucose for energy. In the bloodstream, sugar molecules attach to proteins, creating dangerous molecules called advanced glycation end products, known as AGEs. The more sugar we eat, the more AGEs are formed. Most vulnerable are the skin proteins collagen and elastin, which keeps skin looking firm, elastic and vibrant.

In addition to glycation, sugar triggers cravings because the release of blood glucose stimulates the production of the hormone insulin, which helps diverse glucose from the blood stream to cells, where it is stored for use as energy. Too much glucose leads to the overproduction of insulin, causing cells to press the mute button, reducing available energy stores. 

Given the dangers associated with sugar consumption, it should come as no surprise that more people are looking to keep sugar cravings at bay. 

Tips for Quelling Sugar Cravings:

• Erase processed foods. The keto diet relies on whole foods rather than processed foods, which are often spiked with hidden sugar. When sugar isn’t necessary for energy, cravings subside.

• Eat frequent snacks. Consuming a small meal every three hours – lean meats, avocado and nutrient-dense foods such as greens, for example – can keep you feeling full, which can quiet cravings. For a healthy snack, create your own popsicles from real fruit and add 3/4 water.

• Keep serotonin levels high. Sugar cravings are triggered by the rise and fall of serotonin levels. Exercise, spending time in the sunlight, getting plenty of sleep, and eating a nutrient-rich diet helps keep serotonin levels naturally high, which reduces sugar cravings.

• Drink lots of water. Dehydration can cause dips in energy, leading to sugar cravings.

With so much information bombarding us about diet and eating plans, wouldn’t it be great to have an expert available who could help you determine the right plan for your needs, goals and lifestyle? A nutritional consultant can provide those services to get and keep you on track to improved heath.  In addition, the education and experience of a licensed consultant in nutrition or dietetics gives them the background required to determine any existing health barriers and offer dietary suggestions. 

What is the Process: The process starts with an initial consultation so that an individualized plan can be developed for your specific health needs.  A nutritional consultant will help you create an eating plan that promotes healthy metabolism, good immune response, and a healthy body weight. This includes discussing and analyzing your current eating habits, while also educating you on the importance of specific foods and nutrients.

What Happens During the Initial Consultation: During the initial appointment, your nutritional consultant will gather information about your presenting concerns, explore your history, what you are looking for, and will start to uncover the underlying causes of any specific symptoms.  Your consultation is the time to discuss any bothersome issues like digestive complaints, unexplained weight gain, or even fatigue.

While you may not think that certain things like fatigue or headaches are linked to food, more times than not they can be linked back to the foods you eat.  Your nutritional consultant will use this time to develop a plan of action to help get you on the right track to better health.

What Happens Next: After your consultation, the nutritionist will work with you using a plan tailored to your unique dietary and health goals.  You can work with the nutritionist for a length of time until you are comfortable with the dietary changes you have implemented. It is a great idea to check back in with your nutritionist to re-evaluate your progress after reaching your initial goals.