4 Ways to *Actually* Achieve your New Years Goals!

November 25, 2024

Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian


With a New Year often comes New Year's resolutions. The "New Year, New Me" energy is everywhere, especially in terms of health and fitness. But when it comes to actually achieving those goals, it can be a whole other story. Many people give up on their goals early on in the year - but a bit more thought up front and a dose of reality can help you set better resolutions and actually achieve them this year!

Check out these tips to make 2025 the year you crush your resolutions!

Set goals that are actions, not outcomes!  
Often people set goals like "be healthier", "lose weight", or "build muscle".


While these can be great things to aim for, they are outcomes of other actions, not actions themselves. These outcomes happen because of other activities.


For example, if the outcome you want is to build muscle, the actions you might focus on to achieve this are going to be strength training and meeting your protein goals.


If you want to lose weight, your action goals might be developing a consistent exercise routine and focusing on balanced meals.


These actions are things you are in control of, rather than outcomes of other activities. 

Be realistic about your life and yourself!
Despite the "New Year New You" hype, you will still be yourself on January 1st, and many aspects of your life may still be the same as they were in 2024.


We often set goals that are just too aspirational or that fit with someone else's lifestyle but not our actual reality.


Maybe your goal is to exercise more so you plan to wake up at 5am every day to make this happen. But what if your reality is that you're just not a morning person, or you have a job with fluctuating shifts?


A more realistic plan might be to find an exercise routine that you can do at a different time of day, or that is more flexible.


The easier it is to fit your goal into your current life, the more likely you are to actually achieve it!

Think through the steps you'll need to achieve your goals - and then plan for them!
Setting a goal is only the first step to making it a reality.


There are likely at least a few other steps you need to take to get there. Taking the time to figure out what those steps are and chipping away at them will help you make your goals a reality. For example, maybe your goal is to eat enough protein because you're trying to build or maintain muscle. Your steps might include meeting with a Registered Dietitian to find out how much protein you need and learn more about how to include it in your diet. Then maybe you need to learn to cook one or two new protein options or research recipes.


Maybe you need get into the habit of meal planning.


The main goal is just the tip of the iceberg - the steps behind it are what make it a reality. 

Let go of "all or nothing" thinking in your goals!
When people "fail" at their resolutions, it's often because they pick goals that are inflexible or too extreme.


When people can't stick to these rigid goals, they end up giving up, rather than figuring out how to adapt.


Setting goals that are more flexible will make it easier to roll with the punches throughout the year, rather than throwing in the towel in the first month.


For example, setting a goal of cutting out all sugar is very "all or nothing". The first time you're confronted with a treat while out or give into a craving, you might just give up. Changing the goal to eat less of specific sugary foods (but not cutting them out entirely) might be more realistic. You might even choose to pick a certain frequency that you'll enjoy them that is less than your current amount.


Goals don't have to be extreme to help you still see improvements in your health and fitness!

So tell us, what are your goals for 2025?

By setting better and more realistic goals, and making plans for them, you can make changes to see big gains in your health and fitness this year!

For more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com or click HERE for more information about our Nutrition Programs!

5 Cheap Protein Foods to Include in Your Diet!

April 21, 2025
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian When it comes for nutrition for fitness goals, many of us are concerned about protein. After all, protein helps repair and build muscles, as well as helping us feel fuller longer, and keeping our energy levels stable throughout the day. But protein foods, like meat, can be expensive! For those trying to watch your grocery budgets, or maybe just trying to include more variety in your protein sources, let's check out some less-expensive options! 1. Canned tuna! Fish is a fantastic lean protein source, and none are more convenient than canned tuna. While you can find fancy flavoured cans of individual servings, a 170g can of plain tuna is often only $2.00, meaning it's only $1.00 for a 3oz serving, with rougly 20g of protein! Plain tuna can easily be dressed up with your favourite seasonings, sauces, pickles... the list goes on! Try adding tuna to basic salads, using it as a sandwich filling, or creating rice bowls with your favourite veggies and some spicy tuna! 2. Canned beans! We all know beans pack a fibre punch, but did you know they're also a good source of protein? Canned beans can be quick and convenient - just open, drain, rinse, and go! A can of black beans can be found for only $1.79 and contains roughly three 1/2 cup servings, making each serving only $0.60, and packing in 8g of protein. Try pairing beans with whole grains like quinoa or brown rice, or use it to pump up both the fibre and protein in meat-based dishes. 3. Eggs! Eggs go way beyond breakfast! A carton of 12 eggs is $3.93, making each serving of two eggs roughly $0.66, with 12g of protein. Eggs can be an easy topping for bowl meals and salads, a convenient snack when hardboiled, or served with good old traditional toast for those who like to keep it simple. 4. Tofu! Many people claim not to like tofu, but most just don't know how to use it! Made from soybeans, tofu is a good vegan source of iron, and will take on the flavour of anything it is cooked or marinated in. A 350g package of extra-firm tofu can cost as low of $2.79, making each 85g serving $0.70, with 14g of protein. Try tofu in a flavourful stir-fry, or marinate it ahead of time for a quick protein addition for salads and bowls. 5. Edamame! Edamame are green soy beans, and are easy to find with the frozen vegetables. To use, they just need to be defrosted! A 500g bag of frozen edamame is roughly $5.00, making each 85g serving cost about $0.85, with 9g of protein, and a bonus 4g of fibre! Try adding edamame to your favourite stir fry or salad. While edamame is often used in Asian dishes, it's mild flavour makes it easy to incorporate anywhere. Did the price on any of these surprise you? Will you try a new-to-you protein idea? One of the keys to a balanced diet is variety, and including different sources of protein can help you meet your protein needs without blowing your budget! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com to learn more about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!

Are you making things too complicated?

April 4, 2025
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian Have you heard of the "Complexity Bias"? This is the idea that the more complicated something is, the more effective and accurate we perceive it to be. In terms of exercise, this could look like very complicated plans, complex movements, and fancy equipment. When it comes to nutrition, we often see this look like overly complicated food rules and diet plans. All over the internet, you can find lists of foods to eat or avoid, specific times to eat, combinations of foods you need to eat together... the variations of complicated rules can go on and on. Just because something looks fancy on paper, that doesn't mean it's actually going to be effective for your goals, or even that it's technically true! However, we are often drawn to these more complicated diet plans and rules. They can make us feel good, like we've got it "right", and give us a sense of control. If we're eating our prescribed 137.5 grams of protein, we've got to be on the right track, right? Diet plans that are too complicated can actually make it harder to reach our goals. The more complicated something is, the harder it is to keep doing, day after day, especially when things are busy or you're even slightly out of routine. While nutrition is highly complex, the important parts for most people actually boil down to the basics, which are fairly simple and not hyper-specific. Eat lots of vegetables and fruit, and aim for variety with this. Eat some sort of protein at most meals and snacks, and aim for some variety in your protein sources. Include healthy fats in your diet daily. Again, aim for some variety. Eat on a fairly consistent schedule. Come to your meals and snacks hungry enough to eat and enjoy your food, but not so ravenous that you won't even taste your food. Drink enough water. Eat pretty well most of the time, and don't sweat the occasional treat. For most normal healthy people, these habits will improve your diet quality and nutritional intake way more than any complicated rules will. Remember, for nutrition habits to work, you need to able to maintain them. And if you're going to maintain them, they can't be too complicated. Looking for more personalized nutrition help? Let's chat! Our Dietitian is now scheduling for Nutrition Programs again! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!

4 Ways to Improve Your Heart Health

February 12, 2025
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian February is Heart Health Month! So what better time to focus on habits that can help improve our cardiovascular (or heart) health! Cardiovascular disease includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and coronary artery disease. All of these factors can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. While some of your risk is genetic, many factors can be improved with lifestyle habits - which are in our control! Check out these ways you can improve your heart health this Heart Health Month! Know your risk level Many people may be walking around with high cholesterol or high blood pressure and not know it. If we don't know something is a problem, we can't fix it! Make sure to complete any tests your doctor recommends in a timely manner, and follow up afterwards. If you do find out there's a problem, it's much easier to start making changes when something is a smaller potential risk factor than after something serious has happened. Not sure where you're at? Ask your doctor if this is something you should monitor! Get enough exercise We don't have a magic pill that fixes everything, but exercise does come close! For heart health, exercise will help decrease your blood pressure and promote healthy cholesterol levels. The recommendation for most healthy Canadian adults is to aim for 150 minutes of "moderate to vigorous" exercise a week - this means your heart rate is up and you are breathing at least a bit harder than at rest. If you feel you fall short of that goal, try slowly increasing by 5-10 minutes a week as your body allows. Any type of exercise that gets your heart rate up counts! Watch your salt intake While we know we do need some salt or sodium in our diet, many of us eat too much salt. Much of this comes from processed foods or take out - it's not just about whether you add salt during cooking and at the table. For those who are at risk for high blood pressure, a high sodium intake can increase that risk, and decreasing your salt intake can help promote more normal blood pressure. Staying between 1800mg and 2300mg of sodium daily will make sure your body is getting what it needs without overdoing it. Try checking your labels to see if you're taking in more salt than you realize. Use the "percent daily value" on the right-hand side of the nutrition facts table - remember, 5% is a little bit, 15% is a lot! Increase your fibre intake Fibre does many great things for our body - including helping to improve your cholesterol levels, or maintain them in a healthy range. The total recommended amount of fibre daily is 20-25g for women and 30-38g for men - that's a lot!!  Sources of fibre include vegetables, fruit, whole grains and whole grain products, nuts and seeds, and legumes. If you're choosing foods with a nutrition label, use the "percent daily value" to choose higher-fibre options. Remember to make changes in your fibre slowly and make sure you're properly hydrated to avoid any bowel upset. Remember, health isn't all or nothing! If you're ready to improve your heart health, pick one habit to focus on and figure out how you can implement in your daily life consistently! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE !
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