5 Attainable Health Goals You Can Tackle This Year

Every year, people everywhere start their New Year by setting health and wellness goals. What if we told you that there are at least five goals you can set for yourself that are easy to reach? You’re in luck because we’ve worked with our Publix corporate dietitians to create a list of attainable goals that you can use to start making lifestyle changes this year.

Goal: Eat More Plant-Based Foods

You don’t have to switch to a completely plant-based diet. Start with small steps and incorporate these foods into your diet. The primary focus of plant-based eating is to include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, oils, legumes and beans into your diet.

We have a lot of great options in our stores to choose from, and our corporate dietitian team has made it easy by providing a great reference on our website. They also give recipe tips that will help you incorporate plant-based options into your meal plan for the entire day.

Goal: Snack Smarter

You can snack during the day, but you must remember to do so in moderation. We have helpful tips for snacks to include in your snack drawer. Here are some additional tips to remember:

• Only snack when you’re hungry.
• Look for snacks with beneficial nutrients.
• Don’t let snacking become grazing.

Keep portion sizes in mind when snacking. This can help ensure that snacking doesn’t lead to grazing.

Goal: Reduce Sodium Intake

Did you know that 46% of Americans have high blood pressure? For that reason, it’s not surprising that many individuals set goals to reduce their sodium intake. Our corporate dietitian team has a few tips to get you started.

Keep an eye on sodium levels by checking the packaging on the products you’re picking up and paying attention to their claims. Here are some of the most common claims:

• Sodium-free or salt-free = less than 5 mg of sodium per serving
• Very low sodium = 35 mg sodium or less
• Low sodium = 140 mg sodium or less
• Reduced sodium or less sodium = at least 25% less sodium than the regular version

Goal: Maintain a Healthy Gut

Keeping your gut healthy is important because your gut health is connected to your overall health. To help, try incorporating prebiotics and probiotics into your diet.

• Prebiotics are natural, undigestible foods that help the growth of good bacteria in your gut (probiotics).
• Probiotics are live microorganisms. These are found in many foods, drinks and dietary supplements.

Goal: Eat better

Eating better can help you feel better. If you have trouble sleeping or feel stressed, there are many reasons you could be feeling that way, but poor eating habits can play a large role. Here are a few tips to get you started.

• Eat omega-3s. These are fatty acids that can be found in cold-water fish like salmon and trout. Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Don’t skip meals. Keep a regular eating schedule to prevent fluctuations in appetite hormones. Skipping meals may lead to overeating later in the day.
• Try to plan your meals. This can help you maintain a balanced diet to meet all your nutritional needs.