How To Plan For A Healthy 2021—without deprivation | Nourished With Tish

We are one week into 2021. How’s it feeling? Hopefully, like a much needed fresh start.

I know for lots of us, myself included, we’re still in lockdown. It’s been an intense year, and things aren’t going to switch up simply because we’re in a new year.

Which is why, this year, I ask you to be gentle with yourself. I know January is the time for “New Year, New Me”. A time to overhaul your diet, workout everyday, remember to actually drink water. And if you’ve followed me for awhile, then you know I personally love a good New Year’s Resolution. (In fact, one of my is to learn how to do the splits! Oh boy—wish me luck.)

But don’t forget: we’re still in a pandemic. We’re still not able to go to the gym. We’re still in isolation. So this year, be gentle with yourself. And if taking control of your health is one of your resolutions this year, follow these tips for sustainable, achievable goals for a healthy 2021.

1. Add, Don’t Subtract.

I know right now seems like the perfect time to go keto, or whole 30, or low-carb—and I’m not knocking any of these approaches, and in fact believe they absolutely have their place. But instead of focusing on what you can eliminate from your diet for a healthy 2021, why not ask yourself what can you add?

When it comes to health and nutrition, it’s not just what you’re eating that’s the issues. It’s also what you’re not eating.

Are you getting enough protein, from high-quality sources? How about healthy fats (like omega 3s) or fibre? Do you eat enough variety, enough vegetables and fruit? How are you energy levels? Are you eating enough food to sustain you?

Start small:

make a grocery list before you go, so you get everything you need
don’t skip breakfast, and make sure you’re eating complete meals throughout the day
don’t sweat the small stuff: you’re allowed to have a Friday pizza night, or snack on gummy bears. It’s what you do most of the time that matters

2. Learn To Listen To Your Body.

This year, instead of listening to a diet plan, try listening to yourself. Tune into your body. Learn to listen to, and give in to, your cravings. When you’re hungry? Eat. This is the year to learn to eat intuitively, and to say f*ck it, to diet culture.

Keep a journal and notice how you felt that day and what you ate. Was there a relationship? How do certain foods make you feel? Do you eat differently around family vs when you’re by yourself? Start to become aware of your eating habits.

If you want to learn more about intuitive eating, you can join my free 10-day intuitive eating challenge, where I teach you how to improve your relationship with food!

3. Nourish your mind.

When it comes to your health, it’s not just your exercise and nutrition that matter. In fact, I’d argue that a body under stress will set you up for failure.

When you’re under chronic stress, your cortisol goes up. This then inhibits functions in the body that it considers non-essential, like immune function, digestion and reproduction. This means that under long-term stress, you’re likely to catch more colds, struggle with digestive health and have hormone imbalances.

This year, learn to prioritize self-care. Find ways to manage your stress, to take a beat to yourself. Look at the sources of stress in your life: can you change them? If not, how can you reduce stress in other ways? If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we need to prioritize our mental health.

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4. Deepen your understanding of nutrition.

Instead of changing diets every few months, losing motivation and giving up, why not learn how food actually impacts your health. Work with a practitioner who can help not only help you improve your health, but also your relationship to food.

If you want to dig deep into the ‘why’s’ of nutrition, hunger and metabolism, be sure to join my free masterclass, Broken Metabolism: 3 Myths Keeping You Hungry + Stuck.

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