WellPower: 5 Simple New Year’s Resolutions

The Clinical Nutrition Team at Saint Agnes Hospital

These five small changes are simple to stick with and are big strides to helping you become healthier and happier in 2014:

1. Drink more water. You should aim for 4 cups of water per day. Keep a bottle with you at all times to sip on throughout the day. Sodas and other high-sugar drinks are loaded with empty calories that won’t fill you up. Replacing these beverages with water will decreases calories consumed and help with weight loss.
2. Consume low-fat dairy products. Low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt taste just as good as their full-fat versions, but have much less saturated fat, which clogs your arteries. Choosing low-fat yogurt and 1% or skim milk saves over 29,000 calories per year, which is equal to an 8 pound weight loss.
3. Stock up on healthy recipes. There are many delicious recipes that are good for you. Building up a collection will inspire you to have fun in the kitchen and cook your own meals. Cooking at home, as opposed to eating out, allows you to control what goes into your food and saves hundreds of calories a day.
4. Go for whole grains. Whole grains are great sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fiber lowers cholesterol and the risk for heart disease and some cancers as well as keeps you full long after a meal. Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice and pasta.
5. Get moving. There are lots of ways to exercise and have fun without stepping foot in a gym. If you like video games, try the Wii fit, take a walk with a friend or your dog, go sledding with your kids, or plan a hike on the weekends. You will get fitter and burn calories without even realizing it!

Here’s to a healthy and happy new year,

The Maryland Metabolic Institute at Saint Agnes Hospital

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At Saint Agnes Hospital, we believe that the care we provide our patients is second to none. We offer a full range of health care services and are proud that the doctors, nurses and health care professionals on our staff are the best in the industry. We believe it is our privilege to serve the people of the Baltimore/Washington area and to care for all patients who enter our doors. For more information, visit www.stagnes.org.