Whether you’re tweaking your routine ahead of a new year or any other time you want to feel stronger and healthier, how you go about it makes all the difference. Have you ever tried to change a bunch of things all at once and totally burned out, finding yourself back where you started? Instead of putting pressure on yourself to make sweeping changes, a gentler approach may be the key to sustainable success.
Registered dietitian Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CPT says, “Physical and mental strength go hand in hand. If someone wants to feel stronger in either area, they must prioritize emotional connections, nutrition, fitness, and sleep.” This is surely easier said than done, but behavior change experts have seen huge success with these seemingly small lifestyle tweaks.
Read on for small but effective changes to support goals like building strength, getting into a good groove with weight management, improving your relationship with food and your body, and more.
Be specific about what you want to change
Knowing exactly what you want to change is a great starting place. When we set vague goals, it can be harder to know which first steps to take towards them. Brooklyn-based dietitianMaya Feller is the author of Eating from Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites from Cultures Around the World and Co-Host of Well, Now Podcast, Slate’s wellness podcast. She encourages looking for low-hanging fruit. “Often, when making changes, we seek to implement grand changes across multiple areas of our lives. There are cases where changes like this are warranted; however, for many of us, small changes that are realistic and sustainable can be beneficial.”
Feller suggests looking at the easiest changes you can make and starting there. For example, if getting outside more is a goal, says Feller, “Perhaps start by opening the window shades and windows. This allows the sun to come in as well as the sounds and feelings of outside to enter into your space in small doses.” You can reap some mood-boosting vitamin D from the sunshine, and you might just be inspired to get out for a stroll.
Think about what you can add (not subtract)
When we start by focusing on what we’re trying to avoid, it can contribute to feelings of deprivation. Instead, Feller recommends focusing on what you can add more of. For example, if ‘eating healthier’ is on your list of goals, start by thinking about the foods you know, like, and love. Then, consider how you can add more nutrient-dense options to your routine. “I will often ask my patients to examine how food comes into the home. Is there space to add more nutrient-dense options to the routine? If the answer is yes, look at the options you love that have minimal added sugars, fats, and salt. Get creative on how to add those to your routine in an affordable way.”
Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, suggests looking at what foods you can include to amp up the overall nutritional value of your meal. “What can you add more of to make your meals more nutritious, nutrient-dense, satisfying, and delicious? I’d advocate for including more produce, seafood, lean protein, unsweetened dairy products, and whole grains.”
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Crowd out junk food by reaching for more whole foods
Many studies have linked high intake of ultra-processed foods (AKA junk food) to negative health outcomes such as a higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, as well as depression and sleep disturbance. Cutting out ultra-processed foods like chips, candy, packaged snacks, and processed meat may seem like a simple fix, but it’s not always a super sustainable choice.
Rather than focusing on what not to eat, crowd out the ultra-processed foods with nutrient-dense whole foods, says London. “Any food that’s consumed in its intended state—AKA the least processed, like 100% whole grain bread vs. a toaster strudel, peanut butter made from peanuts vs. chocolate peanut butter fudge ice cream– is more nutritious and less likely to provide calories from added sugar and saturated fat.”
And don’t be swayed by trendy health claims on labels—scope out the ingredients for yourself. “I cannot even tell you how many people I see eating foods that are marketed as ‘high protein, but also provide added sugars and saturated fats,’” says London. Marketing tactics target health-conscious consumers, so you need to be savvy about claims. The easiest way to know something is nutritious: It has no wrapper or writing.
London advises, “It’s important to aim for meals and snacks made from whole foods when possible and to look for whole food ingredients in convenience/packaged food products when you’re on the go.”
Prioritize protein and fiber at all times
If you’re still caught in the trap of trying to eat the lowest-calorie meals possible and wondering why you’re not seeing any changes, we’ve got you. Ensure you include enough protein and fiber in your meals and snacks to feel satisfied and curb mindless snacking. This is essential if healthy weight management is your goal.
“Protein promotes feelings of satiety, helping us to stay fuller, longer,” says London. “When combined with fiber, another satiety-promoting nutrient, this combo helps to prolong feelings of fullness and promote a more sustained release of energy.” AKA, you’ll have more energy throughout the day.
Eat a big enough breakfast
Your body needs fuel in the morning, making breakfast a great opportunity to set yourself up for a strong, energized, and productive day. Coffee may feel like rocket fuel, depending on the caffeine content, but it is not breakfast. “Most of us aren’t eating enough at breakfast thanks to a diet-culture-induced tendency to restrict as much as possible throughout the day,” says London. She points to the fact that there is plenty of controversy on the topic of whether to eat breakfast or not (we see you, intermittent fasters); however, generally, eating a higher-protein breakfast has been linked to feeling more satisfied throughout the day (and burning more energy). Please pass the eggs!
Also worth noting: Eating more of your nutritional intake during the day can help you reduce late-night snacking. Making breakfast a “must-eat meal”—and by making sure it provides enough protein and fiber, says London, “sets you up for a better pattern throughout the day, and can help offset hunger late at night, which is prime time for anyone who feels like they just can’t stop eating! once The Golden Bachelorette is on.”
If breakfast is already part of your routine but you suspect it’s not hearty enough, London suggests doubling the produce portion of your breakfast (yes to all fruits and veggies) or adding an extra heap of protein to the mix. If time is a factor, she says, you could also split it into two parts, such as eating toast with peanut butter at home and then a latte and banana at the office. Leftovers topped with a quick fried egg or a minimally processed protein bar are some other great options for when you’re short on time.
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Start cooking
You don’t have to become a master chef, but learning how to prepare a few staple healthy dishes can help you nourish your body—and it may even save you money. “Not every meal has to be expensive and gourmet,” says London. “There is a happy medium here. When we master some basic cooking and prep methods, we are automatically more connected to the food we eat and better understand what can and should go into food.” We don’t know about you, but we sure feel proud when we make a tasty dish the whole family loves.
While some people have more bandwidth or time than others for this, she acknowledges, “the more we can do this, the better off we are at taking back control over our eating patterns, personal and familial food culture, and understanding our body’s own hunger and satiety cues.” She adds that incorporating your family into the shopping, prepping, and cooking process can help make the process more fun and approachable. Word to the wise: Keep your phone out of sight when you sit down to eat that beautiful meal you created. Practice mindful eating and enjoy.
Take advantage of healthy shortcuts
Cooking more doesn’t have to mean you make everything from scratch every day. There are lots of healthy shortcuts that allow you to put in a little less effort while still enjoying healthy, balanced meals. We have enough to worry about these days; food prep shouldn’t add to that list. London recommends trying some of the following grocery-store shortcuts.
- Store-bought rotisserie poultry
- Frozen edamame & cauliflower rice
- Frozen veggies and “zoodles”
- Instant whole-grain brown rice
- Quick-cook oats
- Chickpea or lentil-based pasta or “rice”
Eat every 4 hours (AKA no skipping meals)
Skipping meals and trying to “save” calories doesn’t work when you’re trying to lose weight or maintain weight in a healthy way. When you get overly hungry, it’s much harder to make mindful choices.
“Make sure you’re eating a meal or a snack every four (or so) hours,” says London. “We (especially women) have this tendency to ‘cut back,’ ‘reduce,’ ‘limit,’ ‘restrict,’ ‘portion control’ and all other terms that are code for abstention from basic biological necessities earlier in the day—this backfires every single time.” If you find yourself constantly hungry or feel like you just can’t avoid late-night snacking, she explains, “it’s usually because we either skipped a meal or didn’t eat enough at any given meal.”
Plus, proper fuel is essential for fueling workouts and allowing your body to recover and build muscle. If you’re not seeing progress at the gym despite feeling like you’re doing everything right, or if you feel like you lose steam quickly, take a look at your intake.
Prepare to succeed
When planning meals or deciding on snacks, consider your schedule and what you’ll need. Taking a few moments ahead of time to anticipate what will serve you best can go a long way in helping you reach your goals.
London says, “I find that too many of us are thinking about long-term health benefits or very immediate ‘pick-me-ups’ when we make food decisions based on how we want to feel. Instead, I’d encourage you to get specific about the realities of your schedule today and prioritize your meal and snack choices from there.” Simply put, think about the energy you want to have later in the day and how you want to feel in a few hours. You know the post-lunch feeling of a nutritionally balanced meal like a few sushi rolls versus a nap-inducing burger and fries. Choose the fuel you know the future you needs to maximize energy, build strength, and feel satisfied.
Find a form of movement you can be consistent with
The best exercise you can do is the type you’ll enjoy and be consistent with. Have you ever tried to haul yourself out of bed to do some kind of exercise you hate? How did that go?
Ideally, you want a combination of cardio (for heart health) and strength training to support building muscle mass, a key factor in healthy metabolism, and helping you feel strong for everyday life. However, you don’t need to make punishing workouts your go-to. “Fitness doesn’t need to be in a form that feels grueling and unsustainable,” says Shaw. It can also be a gentler movement you can easily incorporate into your day.
She adds, “Fitting in daily NEAT activities, or non-exercise activity thermogenesis movements, like taking the stairs instead of an escalator or elevator, parking further away at markets, or house cleaning, can help build physical strength if this is not part of your routine already.” Neat-o!
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Fuel your workouts intentionally
If you find yourself scarfing down whatever you can grab after a workout or waiting for hours to eat, it may be holding you back from seeing progress. Your body needs protein and carbs after a workout to support recovery and muscle building.
London explains, “Aim to have a snack that includes protein and carbs within 30 minutes to two hours after training to maximize protein synthesis and muscle recovery. What’s even more interesting about protein is that the only way to actually change your metabolic rate is to increase the percentage of lean body mass you have in your body vs. free-fat mass.” In other words, eat more protein, as this macronutrient helps build lean body mass and displaces body fat.
It’s not just about protein, however, London explains. “Carbs replenish glycogen, the primary fuel source for muscles, while protein provides the amino acids necessary for muscle repair and growth.” Getting these macros helps boost muscle recovery, keep soreness at bay, and improve your performance. Win-win.
Plan rest days (and actually rest)
Going hard with your workouts every day might sound like a quick route to getting strong and lean, but it’s more likely to set you on the path to burnout and injury. “To build and maintain lean body mass and promote wellbeing long-term, we need to rest,” says London. She continues, “We need to take rest seriously by building it into our schedules.” We hear you—if it’s not in the schedule, it’s not usually happening.
Also, choose rest that feels truly restorative to you. If couch-rotting is not your jam and you’re truly an early riser versus someone who could lounge in bed all day, no problem. Rest comes in many forms. Find what works for your body.
Sleep. Yes, sleep
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. We will shout it from the rooftops: Sleep is vital to physical, mental, and emotional health. Chronic sleep deprivation is related to changes in appetite and weight, decreased immune function, poorer cognitive function (brain fog, anyone?), and feelings of depression and anxiety. Shaw says, “One important area that people often overlook when it comes to fostering strength is sleep hygiene. You can’t run on an empty tank, so prioritizing logging enough zzz’s daily is key.”
You might have the perfect room temperature, cooling sheets, ear plugs, an eye mask—the whole thing. Don’t forget other sleep hygiene puzzle pieces, such as skipping the mindless doom scrolling for an hour or two pre-bedtime. (Don’t say you’ve never done this, and if you’re doing this now. Shut your phone off.)
Put your phone down
Can you hear us in the back? Put your phone down. Better yet, turn it off. Taking a break from your phone can improve your health in several ways. In terms of physical health, the constant distraction of our electronics can make it hard to stay connected with our bodies. This is especially apparent if we look at our phone when eating and aren’t in touch with our hunger and fullness cues. ICYDK, the light from phones, tablets, and TVs can also disrupt sleep.
The content we consume on our devices can also impact our relationship with ourselves. “We live in a society that is obsessed with an able-bodied slender physical ideal as the dominant norm,” says Feller. “Social media is a significant driver of body dysmorphia and dissatisfaction.” Pause, reread that. Yep, cutting down your time on social media will likely improve your mood. Experts suggest unfollowing accounts that make you feel bad about yourself and creating a ‘screen time’ pact. If your pact doesn’t work, there are devices and apps that can help you monitor (and forcefully modify) time spent on your phone.
Build your support squad
You may have learned ‘teamwork makes the dream work’ in kindergarten, and it holds true. To achieve your goals—whatever they might be—you need a support squad. People who will cheer you on, no matter what.
Feeling strong goes beyond a physical feeling: mental strength is key. Feller says, “I encourage people to look at why they do not feel strong -both physically and mentally- and then evaluate if they need the support of a qualified, trained therapist or coach.” Experts play a key role in any health journey and should be a part of your support squad.
Your community is also part of this goal-boosting brood. However, you need to be judicious about who you let in. Shaw adds that auditing your inner circle is important when making lifestyle changes. “While it may seem like you can’t fit in another task to your already long to-do list,” she says, “Prioritizing friendships that truly feed your soul and make you want to be the best version of you is crucial to your well-being.”
Be kind(er) to yourself
Our experts saved the best advice for last. Simply be kinder to yourself. “Remember that your health is a product of the things you do most of the time,” says London, who encourages people to ditch the all-or-nothing thinking around diet and exercise. “So if you have one meal, snack, or day of eating that’s not your personal idea of ‘best,’ enjoy what you’re eating; relax, and get back to your usual schedule or strategy tomorrow.” The more you can focus on the foods you want to eat more of and the activities you want to prioritize more often, she says, the better off you are in the short and long term.
This can also mean embracing change and being prepared for those changes. London explains, “Building a more health-promoting, nutritious pattern of eating is all about being prepared– with ingredients you’d like to use in meals, with what’s on the menu when you’re dining out, and most importantly of all: With what you’re personally in the mood to eat. Something new and unexpected can always pop up and put a wrench in your plans, right? Turns out, that’s life– and we need to start normalizing how constant change really is so that we can be better prepared. When making food decisions, she encourages asking yourself what you’re really in the mood for and considering how that aligns with where you are and what your options are to help make more nutritious choices that are right for you and aligned with your personal health goals, even if it’s not what your original plan was.
Another important thing: Celebrate what you love about your body! “If someone has had a tough relationship with food and body image for some time,” says Shaw, “this may take longer to heal. However, it’s not impossible, it just takes commitment and unlearning some of the behaviors that may set you up for a downward spiral when it comes to these areas. If you find yourself triggered to body check when you’re in front of a mirror at home, try placing motivational phrases on that mirror.” She also suggests reframing negative thoughts. If you’re lamenting not having skinny legs, take a moment to appreciate how strong they are all that your legs do for you. “Turn it into a moment of meditation to acknowledge then work past the negative self-talk to conquer the day ahead.”
Shaw says, “You don’t have to overhaul your lifestyle overnight! Focus on small, actionable things you can fit into your lifestyle and make them a habit, and your physical (and mental) strength will soar.”
