The start of a new year is a time for reflection, renewal, and reinvention. It’s an opportunity to set intentions and make meaningful changes to improve your health, well-being, and overall quality of life. By focusing on health, nutrition, and goal setting, you can pave the way for a transformative year. However, sometimes we can set ourselves up for failure with our New Years goal setting. Here are some tips for how we set goals with our patients and our top nutrition goals to really move the needle for your health.
Goal Setting 101
Often, we set goals without a clear plan of how to get there. For example, you may set a goal to eat healthier, but what determines of that goal is reached? If you have 1 piece of fruit per day or if you reduce take-away to once per week. This type of goal is going to look different for everyone so really break it down to what you would specifically like to achieve, for example:
Goal: To eat healthier
Strategies:
Have 2 cups of vegetables daily
Limit take-away to once per week
Prep my work lunches the night before
Drink 3L of water daily
These strategies are all specific and measurable so you can clearly see if you've achieved what you set out to do or not!
Our Dietitian's Top Nutrition Tips for 2025
Now that we’ve determined HOW to set goals and strategies, we can look at our Dietitian approved tips that will really improve your health (rather than spending $$$ on greens powders that won’t actually achieve much!)
Eat Whole Foods and Limit Ultra Processed Foods: This may sound boring, and you may think you’re already eating mostly wholefoods but really analyze your diet and ensure you’re consuming at least 80-90% wholefood. Wholefoods are foods in their natural form e.g. fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, lentils, beans, whole grains e.g. brown rice, quinoa, oats, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices. Certain foods may seem like a wholefood but make sure to check the ingredients list to ensure there are no ultra processed additives (i.e. things you wouldn’t find in a home kitchen), check foods like yoghurt, muesli, cheese, marinated meats, bread, sauces, and dressings.
The difference between processed and ultra processed. While ultra processed foods are out, some processed foods can still be incredibly healthy. The processed food category are wholefoods that are combined with simple ingredients like salt, sugar, and oil, or go through some form of cooking or minimal processing, healthy processed foods include:
Canned fish
Traditional sourdough bread
Canned beans and lentils
Frozen vegetables and fruits
Cheese and yoghurt (check ingredients)
There are a number of goals you can set in this category including:
Limit ultra processed snacks e.g. chips, chocolate to 2 times per week and swap to wholefood snacks like fruit and nuts instead
Swap from ultra processed drinks e.g. soft drink, diet soft drink, cordial to water, mineral water with fresh fruit or mint, or homemade smoothies
Include 30 different wholefoods per week
Have a handful of nuts every day
Consume at least 3 different coloured vegetables every day
Stay Hydrated: Another underrated and boring goal that gets overlooked but can have a massive impact on your health and how you feel day to day. Staying hydrates isn’t just about avoiding that dehydration headache. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, kidney problems, high blood pressure, constipation and functional gut disorders, and damaged skin. Aim for a minimum of 35ml per kg of body weight e.g. 70kg person: 70 x 35 = 2450ml = 2.45L per day.
Consume Balanced Meals: Having balanced meals helps with a range of things including feeling fuller for longer, ensuring you meet all your vitamin and mineral requirements, and improved energy (no more 3pm slump).
For a balanced meal, make sure you have:
Protein:
Lean meats, fish, eggs, Greek yoghurt, tofu, tempeh
Healthy carbs:
Brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, corn, fruit
Healthy Fats:
Olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds
Colour and fibre
Vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices
For most people, aim for 1/3 plate protein, 1/3 plate carbohydrates, 1/3 plate colour and fibre + a small amount of healthy fats on top.
Set Yourself Up for Success with Your Nutrition and Health
Your environment and planning play a big part in your success. Make healthy eating and habits the easiest option, removing barriers so you are more likely to achieve your goal.
Our top tips for this are:
Have easy grab and go snack options that are just as easy as chips and chocolate, e.g. a wholefood muesli bar, yoghurt, fruit, nuts, pre boiled and peeled eggs
Plan your meals the week before and when you are writing your shopping list – having this on a whiteboard can really help
Cook in bulk for the week and put in the fridge or freezer
Have healthy freezer meals (either homemade or store bought) ready to go on those busy nights instead of take-away
If you’d like support in creating a nutrition plan and achieving your goals in 2025, head to our online booking page here to book with one of our 5 Dietitians, we’d love to help and will ensure you get a plan that is personalised to you.