New Year Nutrition
Catherine Lawson
There’s something wonderful about getting back into a routine after the excesses of Christmas. Lovely as it is to indulge in the festivities of the season with carefree abandon, we know when it’s time to call it a day; our bodies tell us loud and clear. When that inner call to action beckons, however, it’s tempting to look at extreme measures in our fight to lose the pounds, inches, or general fatigue we’ve gained throughout December but like most New Year’s resolutions, such measures are rarely sustainable.
The reason most fad diets or drastic changes in eating habits fail by 2nd January is because we’ve suddenly gone from indulging our cravings over Christmas (and let’s face it, the festive period isn’t a one-day affair – it takes in the whole of December) to suddenly adopting a deficit approach where we withdraw, all at once, the foods we’ve enjoyed so profusely during that time; the foods which have given us one dopamine hit after another. The cravings don’t disappear at will and our bodies don’t suddenly stop looking for the extra calories which have fuelled the party season. In going cold turkey, our bodies don’t know which way is up and so we set ourselves up to fail.
Shifting back to a healthier way of eating which focuses on nutritional health rather than food denial is a more sustainable way to get ourselves back on track in the new year. When we reduce, rather than eliminate certain foods we avoid any sense of deprivation, knowing that we can still have those occasional indulgences without any associated guilt. Adopting a mindset of moderation makes it easier for us to develop and sustain a healthier approach to our diets. A more balanced, positive relationship with food allows us to enjoy a variety of food groups and their associated nutritional benefits and in doing so reduces the kind of stress on our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing which can often be the result of restrictive diets.
When we focus on a healthier way of eating and prioritise the nutritional value in our diet it takes us back to one key principle: eat real food. This is where the Mediterranean diet gets it so right and as a result offers the ideal nutritional re-set when our eating has been off balance. It’s an approach to food which fosters a mindset of abundance, focusing on what you can eat rather than what you should avoid. Because it isn’t overly prescriptive, and it doesn’t eliminate entire food groups, it’s a way of eating which is accessible to most and which offers flexibility based on our personal preferences. It’s also a way of eating which is easier to adopt and integrate into families, thus avoiding the pitfalls of extreme diets which often lead to multiple meals being prepared in any one household.
So, what does the Mediterranean diet look like in practice? Well first up it focuses on whole-food nutrient dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, beans and pulses all of which we’re encouraged to eat plentifully. It’s also a diet which allows us to enjoy the benefits of healthy fats, for example those found in avocados, nuts, seeds and fatty fish. It includes occasional dairy products such as feta and Greek yogurt (full fat is best and feel free to drizzle honey over it too); moderate amounts of lean poultry and eggs; fish; shellfish; the occasional glass of red wine and some dark chocolate too.
What’s not included? Pretty much anything that any health promoting diet would discourage: highly processed foods, red meat, refined sugar, refined grains (think white bread and sugary cereals) and saturated fats. If these are things you enjoy in your diet and therefore don’t want to eliminate completely, then they’re the foods to have in small quantities less often.
As a way of eating, the Mediterranean diet captures a healthier approach to food which is real, unprocessed and predominantly plant based. We may not have the Mediterranean sunshine here in January, but we can certainly enjoy the countless benefits of their abundant way of eating as we re-set and re-balance our focus on food for health this coming year.
