So, in yesterday’s post, I mentioned that I have some news… well, here it is: I was on the radio today! Woop Woop! Darryl Haley, former Patriots player and current host of “Fitness Friday” on WHUR 96.3 during the Steve Harvey morning show, contacted me last week and asked if I would be his “special guest of the week.” As I told him, I never say ‘no’ to anyone who has a connection to the best football team on the face of the planet! I’ll be posting clips to the interview this weekend, but in the meantime, check out these 13 tips for starting the year off right.  No need to wait until January 1st. You can do all of these things right now!!!

9 Things You Can Do Right Now to Start the Year Off Right

1. Eat from the rainbow. And no, candy doesn’t count! Many people think that you have to eat salad everyday to be a healthier eater. Not true. One way to start is to commit to eating at least one red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet food per week. This will naturally lead you to the produce section. And you can build from here (eating two foods in each category per week, etc.).

2. Eat until you are 2/3 full. This is a trick I learned a few years ago. Rather than eating until I can’t breathe, I generally try to eat until I am 2/3 full. How do you know when you’re 2/3 full? Read the next tip.

3. Use a smaller plate. Use a salad plate, rather than a dinner plate. This will naturally decrease your portion sizes. Eat all of the food on your plate. Then stop. Wait at least 10 minutes. Voila! You’re 2/3 full! And if you’re eating from the rainbow, you’ll have the nutrients you need without being stuffed. You’ll also be ready for the next tip.

4. Eat dessert. Yes, I said it. Eat desserts. Just not too many. I absolutely heart dessert. And even eat a small square of dark chocolate in the morning after breakfast. The key is to just have a wee bit. A bit of ice cream, a cookie, a rice krispies treat never hurt anyone. And treating yourself to a bit of the stuff you like keeps you out of deprivation mode, and less likely to flat out backslide.

5. Just eat. (Don’t multitask). This is a very common mindful eating technique. Admittedly, it’s hard to do though. Try it, anyway! 🙂 Just eat. Don’t eat and drive. Don’t eat and walk. Don’t eat and type. Don’t eat and work. Don’t eat and read. Don’t eat and watch tv. Just eat. You’ll be amazed at how much better the food tastes, how much less of it you need to feel full, and how much you’ll want to eat foods that are better for you.

6. Drink water. We are mostly water and we need water to live. So drink it. 🙂 Also, water keeps you fuller longer, flushes out toxins, aids in digestion, keeps things moving, and keeps you looking younger. Need to mix it up? Add slices of cucumber or citrus.

7. Eat one meatless meal per day and/or eat meatless meals for one day. Start where you are. I’ve always said that I’m not pushing for everyone to be a vegetarian. That being said, we all can afford to eat more veggies. If you’re an avid meat eater, try eating one meatless meal per day. If you’re not, try eating meatless for one whole day, or for a couple days a week. Again, the key is to incrementally change, so that you create sustainable change.

8. Decipher your hungers. Chozen Bays writes that there are 7 kinds of hunger–eye, nose, mouth, stomach, cellular, mind, and heart hunger. We over (or under) eat when we confuse one type of hunger for another. The key is to think about why we are putting food in our mouths (or not). You’ll discover that it’s not always because of stomach or cellular hunger.

9. Check out Como Water veggie recipes and sign up for a cooking class! Not sure where to look for veggie recipes? Check out my recipe index. Also, stay tuned to my January posts which will feature super flavorful, vegan dishes as I cleanse from the holiday debauchery for the month. And if you’re in the DC area, sign up for a cooking class where you can learn to make veg-centric cuisine yourself!