5 Tips For Eating Healthy In The New Year

CHEERS TO 2023, DINERS!  We are already halfway into January and so many have already forgotten their New Year resolutions.  I don’t usually make resolutions, but I do focus on a word for the year (I’ll post about that later) and I do try to stay healthy.  But man, it’s hard to eat healthy while eating out…am I right?  So, I wanted to share with you 5 Tips For Eating Healthy in the New Year.  Let’s dig in!

Let’s first cover the importance of eating healthy. It’s a no-brainer that eating healthy can help extend your life on top of physical movement.

5 Reasons Eating Healthy Is Important

1. Eating healthy can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of developing chronic health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
2. Eating healthy can provide you with essential nutrients for your body to function properly and have enough energy to tackle your daily activities.
3. Eating a balanced diet can help you to reduce stress and keep your mental health in check.
4. Eating healthy can help promote healthy skin, hair, and nails.
5. Eating healthy can help you stay focused and productive throughout the day.

Numbers 3 and 5 have been key for me lately.  As many of you know, I’ve had some health issues recently and making sure to eat properly makes a big difference on how I face the day and stay focused.

How Can You Eat Healthy Dining Out?

OOH…this is always a struggle.  How can you eat healthy while dining out, especially at places that don’t focus on those options?  And we all know how much dining out in our community is a big part of living our best lives.  Here are five tips to keep in mind while you’re looking over the menu at your favorite restaurant:

1. Look for nutrient-rich options like grilled chicken, fish, lean beef, or tofu.
2. Avoid fried foods, as they are usually loaded with saturated fats and calories.
3. Ask for sauces, gravies, and dressings on the side so you can control the amount of added fat.
4. Substitute side dishes like fries and mashed potatoes with healthier options like steamed vegetables or a salad.
5. If you’re going to splurge, try to pick smaller portions of higher calorie items so you don’t overindulge.

Healthier Options That Taste Great

Lucky for us, we do have several restaurants here that offer healthier or farm-to-table options that taste great.  I just love Fenney Grill and their farm-to-table options, and their “Meatless Monday” features hit the spot.  Flying Biscuit offers a vegetarian/vegan section on their menu as well as several Gluten-Free options. For a healthier breakfast/brunch option you have to check out First Watch – they have two locations in The Villages^® with a menu loaded with nutritious food and beverages.

Another fresh lunch and dinner option (and favorite) is Harvest Restaurant & Bar and I love that they use ingredients from our very own The Villages Grown (I know…several restaurants also use Villages Grown and it always makes me smile when I see it).  While you’re in Brownwood, also check out Island Fin Poké Co., their fresh bowls are packed with flavor and nutrients.

What’s Your Favorite?

There are so many other options that I can’t possibly list them all here in this post. So, I’d love to hear from YOU: what’s your favorite healthier eating establishment? Tell me in the comments (find the link above) who has the best and let me know if you’d like a feature on any of these fine establishments in an upcoming blog. And always make sure to come back to Villager Eats to check for daily specials.

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