How many of you made New Year's Resolutions?  How many of you have broken them already?  Don't feel guilty!  That's the norm, actually.  We love to make resolutions, though, don't we?

Well...let's make 2008 a new year.

Can I give you a piece of advice?

Here are the 5 things I would like to see as your 2008 goals:

Eat a Healthy Diet, get Rest and Relaxation, Exercise, Hydrate and Manage Stress

There you go.  Easy as that.  Well, then there's that whole "put into practice part".

Let's start with the best one...food.

Eat a Healthy Diet

That's pretty vague I realize, but think of it this way...we get to eat EVERY day, how lucky!  Make every one of those food decisions count.  Eat foods that actually DO something for you and your body.  Eat foods that give something to the body to help you feel fabulous, instead of something that your body has to deal with in order to move on to something better.

Think of these foods as multi-taskers -  foods that give you lots of nutrition using very few calories.  Which means you get to eat more of them!  Make up your diet with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.  Lean meats can fit in there too,  given the right portion.  The ways to make these foods delicious and gorgeous are plentiful, so eat a variety!

Rest and Relaxation

I know this doesn't seem to have anything to do with food/nutrition, but it does.  When you don't get a good nights rest, how are your food choices the following day?  Terrible, probably.  Let your body and mind get the rest they need and deserve for working for you all the time!  Oh, and just so we're clear...you can't "make up" on sleep over the weekend...you need to make getting to bed on time a priority in your daily life.  That extra hour in bed resting can make all the difference on your emotional and mental mood, food decisions, exercise decisions, stress management and productivity.

Exercise

Do SOMETHING active everyday. The options are endless. Just get moving!  I don't want you to be fooled into thinking that only those that go to the gym, or jog for an hour are exercising.  Walk your dog, play ball with your child, garden, go for a hike to see a gorgeous view, these and many other possibilities are part of a good exercise program.  Make it part of your life, do something you enjoy, with someone you enjoy, and just get that body moving!

Manage Stress

Stress is part of life...we can't eradicate it...but we can manage it.  Stress can affect any and all parts of the body, and it's different for everyone.  It can make people put on weight, or make their skin break out, it can make you age prematurely and push you closer to any number of diseases that aren't fun. 

Watch yourself, pay attention to how you are reacting - inwardly or outwardly to a stressful situation or person.  Take a deep breath.  Even just one deep breath will begin to calm you, which can also calm other people and situations.  Observe yourself.  You may be surprised at your own reactions.  Breathe, do your best to solve the problem, then let it go and move on.

Hydrate

The amount of people that I see that are dehydrated is astonishing.  Drink water.  Simple as that.  Yes, drink at least 2 liters of water a day.  Spread that amount out over the course of your day, being careful not to drink too much of it before bed so that you aren't awoken to a full bladder.  If you have a hard time drinking water, try to add a splash of lemon, lime or any other variety of concentrated juice.  Coffee, alcohol and black tea are dehydrating, so remember to hydrate a bit more when you have those beverages.

Your body will thank you, actually, every part of your body and mind will thank you.  Staying hydrated is good for digestion and elimination, preventing headaches, protecting skin elasticity, brain alertness and physical energy.

These 5 goals aren't difficult, they are part of decisions you need to make everyday anyway!  Make one small, healthy decision at a time, and before you know it, you'll be feeling and looking fabulous for 2008!

About the Nutritionist

Amyjo Johnson has a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and is currently working on her Certification and Masters in Nutrition through the nationally accredited American Health Science University and the National Institute of Nutrition Education.  For two years, Amyjo has been providing nutrition consulting to the on-site food service team and employees at Google, Inc. She provides information on assuring nutritionally balanced menus, excellent ingredients, and food choice nutritional education for ideal productivity and health. Through her company, Food for Change, Amyjo provides individuals and businesses counseling and consultation on a variety of nutritional situations and needs.  Contact her at:  This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it