Make Healthy, Attainable Changes to Keep Throughout the New Year

Giant Food Nutritionists offer realistic tips for healthy behaviors in the New Year, ongoing individual consultations, classes, store tours and more

News provided by

Giant Food

Jan 22, 2018, 11:13 ET

LANDOVER, Md., Jan. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While New Year's resolutions are plentiful this time of year, data shows that more than half of the people who make resolutions have given up on them by the end of June.* To help start fresh and healthy habits that can last throughout 2018 and beyond, the credentialed nutritionists at Giant Food of Landover, Md. are encouraging local shoppers and consumers to make healthy changes in the New Year.

Giant Food nutritionists offer expertise on diabetes, heart health, losing weight, improving family meal times and other wellness concerns during individual consultations. Additional services include classes, store tours, community outreach and events. To help kick off 2018 on the right foot, Giant's team of 11 nutritionists came together to share their 10 best tips for tackling New Year's resolutions.

1. Find your motivation

Share your motivations with a close and trusted friend, coworker, or relative. They can cheer you on and remind you why you are pursuing change.

2. Make it fun

When it comes to fitness, find something you enjoy doing. Whether it's long walks, barre classes, martial arts, peaceful yoga or pick-up sports games, you're more likely to stick to it if you're having fun! Bored of the same routine? Try a new fitness class or meet with a staff member at your local gym or community center.

3. Amp up your hydration

This one is often overlooked, but it's key to overall health. Add an extra eight ounces of water to your day. More fluids will help you stay hydrated and those extra walks to the restroom will increase your activity!

4. Try something new

Make 2018 the year of variety and trying new things. Start out by trying a new fruit or veggie each week, and then move on to other food categories like grains or healthy oils. Produceforkids.com is a great resource for learning to select, store and prepare new fruit and veggie additions.

5. Load up on fruits and veggies

This rule is timeless for a reason. Aim to fill half your plate with fruits and/or vegetables at each meal or snack. If you're indulging with a few bites of a less healthy item or snack, you'll still have a half healthy plate!

6. Find a buddy

It's no secret that working toward and achieving goals is more fun with friends! Plus, when you share a similar objective, you can keep each other up-to-date on your progress and encourage each other.

7. Get cookin'

Work on easing yourself into a healthier routine by testing out one new recipe each week. Swap recipe ideas with family and friends to stay motivated. This is also a great way to incorporate tip four! You can work to create recipes using one new ingredient each week.

8. Keep yourself accountable

Make a list of the top three reasons why you want to improve your health and stick it on the refrigerator or another space you see every day. This constant visual will reinforce your new healthy habits.

9. Shop smart

Fill your shopping cart according to MyPlate recommendations. You can't eat half a plate of fruits and veggies at every meal if you don't buy half a grocery cart of fruits and veggies! For more information on MyPlate, visit choosemyplate.gov.

10. Plan for the unexpected

Pack a tote of nutritious snacks when on the go – nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies – so that you won't reach for less healthy snack foods. This is great for day trips with the family or even just a busy day of errands. You'll be glad you didn't need to rely on that soft pretzel at the mall! You can also keep a small bag of nutritious snacks at the office or in your car.

Remember to keep your goals realistic. It's not necessary to attempt all of these tips at once, so pick one or two that seem manageable for you!

For help and support in meeting your health goals in 2018, contact the in-store nutritionist near you at [email protected] or visit giantfood.com/nutrition.

*Source: Study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology

About Giant Food of Landover, Md.
Giant Food of Landover, Md. is committed to helping its customers save time, save money and eat well. Headquartered in Landover, Md., Giant operates 167 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs approximately 20,000 associates. Included within the 167 stores are 157 full-service pharmacies. For more information on Giant, visit www.giantfood.com.