We can often start a new year with a list of dramatic health changes that we hope to implement, but the reality is that most of our good intentions peter out before we even get to the end of January.
Rather than intense resolutions, let’s rather think about long-term, sustainable principles that will be more likely to set us up to succeed with our health goals.
These podcast will cover a few basic principles including prioritising real food, managing blood sugar levels, choosing gentle and consistent movement, prioritising healthy sleep, increasing water intake, managing stress, being realistic with our goals and getting the necessary check ups. This week the focus of our discussion will be on prioritising real food.
Prioritise real food
So often we go extremes with our food choices when we’ve overdone things but instead of dieting or following some extreme eating plan, aim to eat regular meals built around whole foods like vegetables, fruit, lean proteins, and legumes. An ideal way to ensure a healthy balance is to allocate portions according to the balanced plate as pictured in the above image.
Reduce your intake of ultra-processed foods or refined carbohydrates and sugars.
Opt for home-cooked meals where possible. If you don’t have the time to prepare healthy meals for yourself look at options to have fresh, home-cooked, nutritious meals delivered. For the most part, aim to eat foods that can be recognised for what they are in their natural form.
Manage your blood sugar
Making healthy food choices helps to keep our glucose in balance, which supports a healthy metabolism. Avoid skipping meals which can disrupt your blood sugar levels and can cause you to reach for the very foods you should be avoiding to get a quick lift. To help reduce sugar spikes, include proteins and fibre with each meal.
Listen to my interview with Brad Kirsten from Radio Cape Pulpit on 8 January 2026 to learn more. Listen to my next interview on Thursday at 7.45am.