Resolve to eat smart

New Year excites us as we set new goals and plan new adventures. We think a lot about travelling, parties and social gathering. But this year, how about we make plans to improve your diet? Diet planning is more than just about weight loss.

The changes that we aspire to achieve with respect to our health requires minute and consistent changes in our daily routine. Make sure you don't set short-term goals like crash diets or skipping meals for instant results, but instead focus on a long-term goal like following a healthy lifestyle. Here are ways in which you can change your cooking and eating habits for a healthier lifestyle:

Weight loss without nutrition loss: In the process of dieting, don't cut down on the intake of nutrients. A healthy technique of cooking vegetables could be steaming, which will not remove the water-soluble nutrients.

The C factor: Include cucumber, lemons, broccoli, strawberries, bell peppers and ingredients that are rich in vitamin C. These influence iron absorption and fight cell-damaging free radicals.

Tweak the recipes: You could be innovative while following recipes. Replace the unhealthy elements in traditional recipes to make them healthy. For example, use olive oil in place of butter and fatty oils.

Hydrate & detox: You can never get enough of water, so drink up! Also, detox your body with homemade lemon and cucumber water, which also aid in weight loss.

Avoid reheating: Repeated heating of oils and fats can be extremely harmful, as  they get converted  into trans-fat acids.

Have leaner meals: Choose chicken breasts and fish over whole chicken, which will cut down on the unwanted fats.

Avoid salty food: Add less salt to your meals. Instead, season  your food with herbs, spices, garlic, onion, pepper or lime juice.

These little changes, when followed right, will bring in drastic improvement to your health. Also burn the extra calories by working out at least for a few minutes every day. It not only helps you sweat the calories, but also keeps you active and refreshed throughout the day.  

(The author is  head of culinary ops & food design at Eat fit)