HealthyHabits - Food Tips (2021 and beyond)

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The new year is coming. Any healthy new habits planned?

I am in fairly good shape for eating. (Well not perfect. But I do food/nutrition tracking and have a decent handle on things, keeping close to my ideal weight.). Would not mind improving further, but I’m not as gutsy as the friend who does Vegananuary tradition each January. Veganuary 2023 | Home | The 31 Day Vegan Challenge USA

Although I normally do not set resolutions, I’m considering a goal to exercise EVERY DAY in January. I don’t run as much in the winter, so perhaps I’ll strive to make sure every day has a running OR other exercise ( walking or cycling on trainer bike or exercise video) …. or snow shoveling.

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I like the ‘every day exercise’ challenge! I have completely let activity slide for the past few weeks (home sick, then just home LOL). Good to have a goal like that, even if it’s a small amount of exercise. :slight_smile:

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I have a goal of exercising ALMOST every day now. There are some days it just doesn’t work out, and I try not to beat myself up about it when I don’t. I am not going to have a dry January, but I am going to cut back significantly from the amount we’ve been drinking in December.

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Not food or exercise related, but the healthy habit I plan to work on this year is to find time each day to quiet my mind (meditation) and reflect on the positive things in my day (journaling).

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If I can get hubby on board, we might try Meatess Monday (or gasp… Vegan Monday)… at least for January. He does a lot of the cooking, so I will need his buy-in. Luckily I’ll have nteresting recipe proposals from some of the helpful posts above.

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H and I signed up for the Mayo Clinic diet a few weeks ago. Our doctor had recommended the Mediterranean diet to me and in theory I knew what it was and how to follow it, but practically it was difficult to plan the meals and find recipes. This has been a good option for us - my main concern is heart health but I also want to help H lose weight. We are finishing up week 3 today. I’m hoping to keep it going into 2022.

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A CNN article about healthy habits and boosting metabolism (burning calories), certainly no breaking news here:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/24/health/how-to-boost-metabolism-wellness/index.html

  1. Be active throughout the day, not just for your exercise time.
  2. HIIT’s with strength training.
  3. More protein and water consumption.
  4. Sleep, rest.
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Thanks for feedback on Mayo Clinic Diet. Is it a cookbook, app or other?

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There are cookbooks but we are using a website/app. It used to be you could only do the “original” Mayo clinic diet which I think is what is covered in the cookbooks. Now they have a Mediterranean plan, vegetarian plan, extra protein, and then I think a modified Keto plan. You can see the entire week of meals, swap any you’d like to change, and download a grocery list. On days I don’t have the time to prepare the recommended meal, we have subbed in fish and vegetables. So far it is working. I haven’t been trying to lose weight but my weight is down and physically I feel better.

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I tried the Mayo Clinic diet last year. Or at least I think it was last year. Lol but time has all run together the last few years. I didn’t like that the online calorie counter didn’t have a lot of the foods I ate. I wonder if they have added more as I don’t recall them having different diet options.
I need to do something. I haven’t gained all my weight back but it’s headed that direction if I don’t do something about it. I think the lack of routine of my gym hasn’t helped. It’s a new year and I hope I find the motivation to get back to more vegetables and healthy carbs.

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I am a huge fan++ of MyNetDiary app for food/nutrition and exercise tracking. There was a bit of learning curve to it, but there are soooo many foods in its library. You can type in a food or if packaged just scan the bar code. Also lots of features. I think that other apps, such as MyFitnessPal, can do the same things.

++ So much of a fan of MyNetDiary that I just renewed my version (Premium?), for $60 per year because I like to see the long term trend averaging. That’s saying a lot because I am generally rather frugal. But actually the $4/one-time fee version was fine for most things. And even the freebie version that I first started with was useful too.

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This is new. I’ve made almost all the meals from their Mediterranean plan. Combined with the exercise plan I’ve lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks and H has lost 14. I think it’s a big improvement over the previous model. I can post some recipes if you’d like and if it wouldn’t bother others.

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Would love that.
Thanks

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The first meal I made was this fish stew which doesn’t sound that great but was really delicious. I subbed in canned organic diced tomatoes; didn’t have a leek so used onion; and just left out the chili pepper. Came together quickly, was really tasty. I buy the individually frozen portions of fish at Costco, so just thawed two cod filets to use.

Whitefish, raw, 6 oz(s), skinless and boneless
Black pepper, 1 dash(es)
Extra virgin olive oil, 4 tsp(s)
Garlic, 1 clove(s), crushed
Leek, 1 leek(s), thinly sliced
Green hot chili pepper, raw, ½ pepper(s), thinly sliced
Tomatoes, canned, 1 can(s), **cherry tomatoes
Green beans, 1 cup(s), ends trimmed, halved
Asparagus, 1 bunch(es), trimmed, halved
Baby spinach, 2 handful(s)
Capers, 2 tsp(s), drained, drained
Lemon, 1 fruit(s) (2-3/8" dia), wedges, to serve (optional)

Cut the fish into 1.5 inch chunks. Season well. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and fish, then cook 1 minute each side or until the fish just starts to brown. Remove to a plate.

Add the remaining oil to the pan with garlic, leek and chilli, sauté for 2 minutes until the leek is soft. Add tomatoes and a quarter cup water, bring to gentle simmer. Return the fish, poking into the sauce. Add the beans and asparagus. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until fish is cooked through. Remove from the heat, stir in spinach and sprinkle with capers. Serve with lemon wedges (optional).

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This cannellini bean salad was also very good and very filling.

Red bell pepper, 1 pepper(s), halved and deseeded (4oz)
Zucchini, raw, 1 medium (6.9oz)
Canned cannellini beans, ¾ cup(s) (6.9oz)
Green onion, 1 medium (4-1/8" long), finely chopped (½oz)
Parsley, fresh, ½ cup(s), chopped (1.1oz)
Extra virgin olive oil, 1½ tbsp(s) (0.7oz)
Balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp(s) (1.1oz)
Black pepper, 1 dash(es)
Whole wheat pita, 4 small pita(s) (4" dia), toasted (4oz)

Start by turning your grill (note, I used my broiler) to medium-high. Place the red bell pepper under it and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. It will need to be turned every 2 minutes or so to ensure it cooks evenly, and you’ll know it’s done once the skin is blackened and blistered in places and the flesh is soft. Halfway through cooking, add the zucchini too. It will only need 2 mintues on each side. Remove vegetables from the grill and place to one side to cool.

Once cool, slice the red pepper flesh into strips. Place in a bowl along with the zucchini, cannellini beans, green onions, and parsley.

Pour the olive oil and vinegar over the salad and toss well. Season with black pepper if desired.

Divide into two servings. Serve with toasted pita bread.

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My husband won’t eat the fish but he will like the bean salad. I’m going to make it this week. I might even have all the ingredients on hand.

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I made the cannellini bean salad tonight. I didn’t have balsamic vinegar so I substituted a pomegranate vinegar. It went well with grilled chicken breasts.
Thanks for the recipe.

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I wanted to tell you that I looked at MyNetDiary finally and liked it so much I went ahead and got it for a year. I’m following the Mayo plan but - surprise!- the menus are only a 4 week cycle. That’s all they have for Mediterranean, not sure about the other plans. The food is good but variety is also good. I’m also trying to add more protein to my diet without adding fat. Any suggestions are welcome.

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Glad you like MyNetDiary. Here are some quick hints that come to mind:

  • Take advantage of ability to create custom meals or food. (I pick names that make easy to find: “Ff-FiberOne Breakfast”, “Aa Avacado Toast”, “HH House Salad” for house salad + .5tsp oil +.5 tsp balsamic vinegar” etc)

  • For processed foods, enter via “Scan” option (take photo of bar code).

  • I opt to log supplements in Notes. You can enter as “food”, but then you overshadow the nutrients from real food.

  • When you look at “MyAnalysis”, click the Weekly tab to see it as 7 day average

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IDEAS for Protein w/o too much fat:

  • shrimp
  • fiber one original cereal (only 3 g, but no fat other than added milk)
  • low fat or no fat greek yogurt
  • peanut butter powder (good in yogurt)
  • smoke salmon (but high in sodium)
  • some of the fiber one etc bars… gotta study labels