Nutrition

When you’ve finished the last of the holiday punch and sipped the last drop of the New Year’s champagne, you might be feeling alcohol-ed out. Enter: Dry January. For many people, Dry January is as much of a tradition this time of year as putting away holiday decorations and setting resolutions. It might be an attempt to “cleanse” after a season of excessive drinking or a way to start off the new year focused on goals. While a health boost (and a break from hangovers) sounds enticing, I’m always skeptical about any temporary diet or detox—what’s the point of short-term change if you go back to old habits afterward? So whether you’re halfway through a booze-free month or just generally sober-curious, I asked experts for the 101 on Dry January, whether or not it’s worth it, and how to limit alcohol any time of year.
Just a brief disclosure: If you’re halfway through a totally sober month, the expert tips below will help you finish out strong (because you’re probably finding that it’s not as easy as it seems!). But if you’re new to this whole Dry January thing, you can start a sober week, month, year, or life at any time. And if a sober life is not for you, we can all afford to be more mindful—that also goes for mindful drinking. We have tips for you too. Read on for expert opinions on the Dry January trend, tips for the sober-curious, and how to be more mindful with your alcohol consumption year-round. 

In this article

What is “Dry January?”
Dry January is pretty straightforward: You forego alcohol for the entire month of January. While the concept has become a wellness trend all over the world, it originated in 2013 when Alcohol Change UK started a movement to raise money for alcohol abuse awareness and treatment. The idea caught on and now, many people use a booze-free month as a way to reset after an indulgent holiday season or inspire major changes for the new year (#newyearnewyou). Here at The Everygirl, we don’t support fad diets or temporary fixes and always prioritize sustainable lifestyle changes that feel good over restriction. However, based on what the experts I talked to said, doing Dry January the right way (more on that below) can be pretty beneficial for many people.

What are the benefits?
To reevaluate your relationship with alcohol
The biggest reason to take time off booze is to learn more about yourself. “Cutting out alcohol for the month of January gives people an opportunity to evaluate their relationship with it,” explained Kelly Kitley, a licensed clinical social worker and international women’s mental health expert. “You can take a mindful approach to recognizing triggers as well as identifying how alcohol affects your sleep patterns, exercise, nutrition, etc.” When anything is a habit, we may be less aware of how it’s affecting us. Removing the habit allows us to see how it is truly affecting our mental health as well as our routines.
For example, are you more nervous going into a social setting without a drink? Is it difficult to unwind from your day without a glass of wine? Are you more motivated to work out when you didn’t drink the night before? A break from alcohol is not meant to prevent you from ever drinking again (unless you want to!)—it’s supposed to make you aware of how to drink in a way that feels healthiest for you. 

To benefit the body
While Dry January should not be a means to cleanse the body or lose weight (that’s not how the body works), the body can still reap some benefits. Shena Jaramillo, MS, RD, a registered dietitian nutritionist, explained that since alcohol is dehydrating, limiting or cutting out alcohol can improve hydration in the body, which can promote healthy skin and increase energy. “Since alcohol is a depressant as well as a diuretic, regular intake can leave us feeling sluggish and unmotivated to complete tasks,” she said. “We may also notice our skin and hair tend to be more dry if we’re consuming a lot of alcohol.”
“Taking a break from alcohol (even for just a month) can have incredible benefits for your body and mind,” agreed Karolina Rzadkowolska, a certified alcohol-free life coach and the author of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You. “Studies show that your sleep can improve, you wake up with more energy, and your body can heal. It also rebalances your brain chemistry and helps you experience more positive feelings.” Yes, these are some pretty tempting benefits, but know that this doesn’t mean you have to avoid all alcohol forever. “Alcohol in moderation is not an issue,” Jaramillo assured. “One drink a day for women, or two drinks a day for men, is generally a safe amount that will not displace other nutrients or lead to weight gain.” But if you’re regularly binge drinking (AKA most of us), a break can provide some temporary benefits for the body (and help you evaluate if you want to extend those benefits long term). 

To save money
A break from booze doesn’t just have to be health related; many people participate in Dry January for financial reasons. Think about it: Alcohol is expensive. For one, those bottles of wine in your grocery hauls drastically increase the price, and the priciest part of a night out are the cocktails ($20 for a beverage? No thank you!). When you take a break from the bottomless mimosa fees or a drink with dinner (even $7 for the house red adds up), that’s money you can add to your savings account or put toward an immediate goal like furnishing a new apartment or paying off debt. While giving up alcohol permanently for financial reasons might cause deprivation (money is meant to be spent for a happier life, after all), foregoing alcohol prices for a short-term goal can help you save money.

Are there any cons?
Totally cutting out any food or beverage can be harmful because it can create fear around it (and you should see all food and drinks as a means of nourishment or enjoyment, not something to be afraid of). Say it with me for the people in the back: Demonizing one type of food is never beneficial. Yes, cutting out alcohol for a short period can provide the chance to reassess your relationship with it, and for many people who feel better without drinking, it can kick off a new lifestyle. However, if you’re cutting out alcohol because it’s “bad” for your body or to help you lose weight, any benefits will be short term, while the fear and negative relationship with your body can last a lot longer.
Lastly, since a break from alcohol may cause many people to realize how much they depend on it, you might notice stress, anxiety, or even depression surfacing. “You may discover that drinking is actually a coping strategy in your life, and without it, you might be feeling more anxiety, depression, grief, etc. symptoms,” explained Heidi McBain, MA, LMFT, LPC, PMH-C, a licensed marriage and family therapist. If you think Dry January may provoke uncomfortable emotions or you’re struggling without alcohol, seek support from a therapist.

Tips to be successful with Dry January
Take it day by day 
One reason restrictions or short-term diets can be harmful is if you do partake in the restricted item, you feel like the entire month is “ruined,” which can lead to bingeing and guilt. So to avoid the damage that comes with being hard on yourself if you do have a glass of wine after an especially tough day or a vodka soda while out with friends, focus less on the structure of a “month” and instead just take it day by day. Kitley recommended that if you “slip up” one day by caving to the temptation of a cocktail, that doesn’t mean the whole month has to be ruined or that you failed. Instead, see each new day as an opportunity. “Dry January” doesn’t have to be an entire month spent completely sober—any amount of time to better understand your relationship with alcohol is a win.

Let your friends and family know your plans
McBain said that the key for Dry January success is to let your friends and family know ahead of time so they can help you stay accountable, make plans that are not related to alcohol, and avoid uncomfortable or triggering situations. “Explain to family and friends (beforehand, if possible) that you’re not going to be drinking. Especially if you’re female, letting them know can help you avoid anyone asking if you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant—it’s so intrusive, but these types of comments happen all the time and can be incredibly triggering.” Bonus: When you let other people know, you’ll be more likely to resist that cocktail during girl’s night or a glass of wine at your family dinner because you know they’ll be expecting you to say no.

Use it as an experiment to know yourself better, not as a “cleanse” or “diet”
Just another reminder that Dry January (or restricting anything for a certain amount of time) can only be beneficial if it’s used as a way to get to know yourself better and learn how you want alcohol to compliment your life moving forward. If you view it as a chance to lose weight or “detox,” you’re subconsciously telling yourself that alcohol is bad. Just because you may notice benefits in your body or how it affects your emotions when you take time off does not mean that alcohol is “bad” or that you’re “bad” if you have a drink here and there in the future (unless, of course, you have an unhealthy dependency or addiction).
In other words, think of the booze-free time as a way to understand how alcohol affects your life and how you want to enjoy it in order to achieve your happiest life, not as a temporary health fix. Journal about cravings or difficult emotions that come up while living sans alcohol and take the time to get to know your body without it, not as a means to foster fear around drinking in the future. “You don’t need to cut alcohol out of your life to improve your diet or habit control,” said Dr. Anthony Puopolo, the chief medical officer of Rex MD and a board-certified physician. “However, being more aware of when and how much you drink, as well as why, can increase your mental and physical health significantly.”

Continue mindful drinking when Dry January is over
The problem with limiting anything (whether it’s food groups, phone time, or alcohol) is that any deprivation can lead to greater cravings or binges. Kitley warned to be aware if you start drinking on Feb. 1 (or whenever you start drinking again), as people tend to go overboard if they have felt deprived. If you’re excited to go out with friends and have a cocktail or know that a glass of wine will feel so satisfying with dinner, indulge in whatever your body truly wants, but be careful not to drink so much it stops feeling good for your body. Dry January is only beneficial if you take what you’ve learned and apply it to your life moving forward. Otherwise, it’s just 30 days that won’t make much of a difference in the grand scheme of your well-being. Take time to think and act on what you’ve learned (i.e. you found other ways to soothe yourself after a stressful day so you no longer need to depend on a glass of wine, or drinking less during brunch helps you feel more productive during the day), and continue mindful drinking even after January is over.

How to embrace mindful drinking year-round
Set some guidelines before drinking
While mindful drinking is all about staying present (checking in with how your body feels consistently in the moment), some guidelines before any time spent drinking may be helpful. Kitley suggested a simple guideline like having a glass of water in between every drink can not only help prevent hangovers but can also help you stay mindful. Another helpful guideline to try is my personal favorite: the “three drink rule,” where if I’m drinking an alcoholic beverage, I’ll also try to have two other drinks at the same time, like water and tea or coffee. Some people also find it helpful to limit the days a week they drink (like only drinking three days total) so they are more mindful of when it’s really worth having alcohol.

Ask yourself “why”
Before drinking, ask yourself what your purpose is: Are you drinking because you want to enjoy the delicious taste of wine with friends or because you love trying new cocktails? Or is it because you’re feeling socially awkward or need something to take away stress? Another helpful thought exercise is to ask yourself if the next drink will bring you joy or regret. If the drink will bring you joy, then enjoy every sip. If the drink will make you feel regretful? Opt for a mocktail or sip on water instead. “Drinking mindfully means taking a moment before you grab an alcoholic drink,” explained Dr. John Mendelson, an alcohol addiction specialist and chief medical officer of Ria Health. “Before drinking, consider why you’re making that choice. It’s all about paying attention and drinking with awareness.”

Be more self-aware about your drinking habits
As with any health goal, self-awareness is key. It’s difficult to know how to drink more mindfully if you’re not aware of what your drinking habits actually are. Whether or not you participated in Dry January, it may be helpful to spend a week or two recording your alcoholic beverages as well as any emotions, physical symptoms, etc. so you are aware of how alcohol is truly affecting your life. “Keep a simple drink log and measure your alcohol consumption patterns,” Dr. Mendelson suggested. “This could be as easy as emailing yourself every drink or using a free drink-counting app. The basic count will establish the baseline to begin.” For example, are you drinking a lot more than you realized? Identify how to cut back and be more mindful. Or are you noticing symptom flare-ups after drinking? Talk to your doctor about a possible correlation between alcohol and your health. In general, mindfulness is self-awareness, so start collecting data on how alcohol plays into your life.

Fuel your body with proper nutrition
Mindful drinking comes when you’re also mindfully eating and aware of taking care of your body in every way possible, from exercise to sleep to fueling your body with nutrients that help it feel its best. Dr. Victoria Glass, MD, a doctor focusing on medical research, suggested that “healthy” alcohol consumption means overall taking care of your body, and fueling your body properly is key. Being more aware of the alcohol you put into your body happens much more naturally when you’re aware of the food you’re putting into your body too.
Also, food can help when you are drinking alcohol too. “Make sure to eat first before consuming any alcohol,” Dr. Glass said. “Food allows you to be more aware of how the alcohol is affecting your body, and for some people, food reduces cravings for alcohol.” And if you do drink a little too much and get a hangover? No biggie, but know that you don’t need to eat greasy breakfast sandwiches or chug Bloody Marys in order to feel better. Take the opportunity to eat more nutrient-rich foods that will help your body recover and feel its best. 

Seek support to continue understanding your relationship with alcohol
The truth is that most of us enjoy an alcoholic beverage for more reasons than because it tastes good (especially those of us who have ever had a shot of vodka). We often use alcohol to numb negative emotions (like destressing after a long day), help us feel more comfortable in uncomfortable situations (like a party with a new group of friends), or even as a way to celebrate (as if a job promotion or wedding engagement doesn’t feel like a true celebration without a champagne toast). While alcohol can make us feel happier and more carefree, it shouldn’t be a reaction to emotions or something you depend on to feel comfortable in any situation. Continue working with a trusted professional like a therapist or sober-curious support group to understand what emotions you relate to alcohol consumption. For more resources to help you understand your relationship with alcohol or if you’re sober-curious, check out a book like Quit Like a Woman.

While this article addresses emotional dependencies and behaviors related to alcohol, it is not meant to help treat addiction. If you are struggling with substance abuse, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for assistance.

10 Date Ideas That Don’t Involve Drinking More

While many of us have year-round access to a wide range of fruits and veggies and eating a variety of produce is crucial for health, prioritizing in-season produce should be your next nutrition goal. It’s great that we have access to produce from anywhere at any time of the year in our grocery stores (tropical fruits like bananas and mangoes are available in the Midwest even during wintertime, West Coast fruits like avocados and lemons are available at all times on the East Coast, and we can always find berries, peppers, or apples, even if they’re not in season), but it’s important to prioritize what is local and in season for many reasons. As a certified nutrition coach, I teach clients that seasonal foods are crucial and help them achieve a better diet. Read on to find out why it’s so important to eat foods that are in season (and how). 

Why it’s important to eat what’s in season
It tastes better
When food is imported, it is often picked earlier in its ripening process so that it is not overly ripe or bad by the time it arrives to its destination to be sold and eaten. Local foods (and therefore foods that are in season near you) are able to grow until they reach their peak ripeness since they do not need to last through travel. The longer a fruit or veggie is able to grow on its vine, branch, or bush, the more flavorful it will be, meaning juicier, tastier, and more delicious produce.

It’s more nutritious
Since it can grow longer than traveling produce, local produce also has more nutrients. Locally grown food is picked at its peak ripeness, when it’s most dense with nutrients. Also, produce begins to lose the amount of nutrients after about 24 hours of being picked, and traveling produce can also lose nutrients from being exposed to temperature changes, artificial light, and air. Local produce is typically grown until it has peak nutrients and isn’t exposed to the many ways used to keep produce fresh while traveling that can typically lower nutritional content. Note: If in-season produce is less available to you, don’t worry. Traveling produce still has tons of nutrients, and organic frozen produce is frozen at peak taste and nutritional value so you can reap similar benefits. 

It’s usually cheaper
When there is a large amount of local produce, the cost usually goes down (AKA basic supply and demand). When food has to be imported, the cost also needs to account for the travel accommodations and labor to get it to you. Imported food also often has to be specially packaged and stored to keep it at a certain temperature since it is traveling to a different climate. In-season food and local produce are typically cheaper because they require less cost to get to you. Of course, “cheaper” might only be a few cents, but over time, it adds up. Know that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive—shop at your local farmer’s market or the local section of your grocery store for more affordable options.

It supports your body’s seasonal needs
Our bodies need different things in different seasons. For example, many citrus fruits are in season during the winter, and citrus fruits are packed with vitamin C, which is good for supporting the immune system during a season when it could often use a pick-me-up (colder weather means cold and flu season!). Other winter produce include carrots, celery, and winter squash like butternut squash, all of which are great for a warm winter meal like soup. Likewise, summer produce has many benefits that our bodies need more of during that season. For example, fruits like cantaloupe and mangoes have beta-carotene, which a new study suggests can help prevent skin damage (but you know you still need to load up on SPF too, right?). It’s no coincidence that nutrients in fruits and veggies correlate to the fluctuating needs of the body from season to season.

It’s good for the environment
Buying food that has been imported means that it has left a bigger footprint on the environment due to the packaging, water, and fossil fuel necessary to get the produce from one location to the next. When produce travels from afar (instead of from a truck to your distributor or grocery store), more energy is spent to transport, refrigerate, and store it, and more packaging is needed to keep it fresher for longer. You can also support local farmers by buying locally sourced produce at your local grocery stores or farmers markets. Farmers markets themselves promote sustainability because many local farmers use certified organic practices, which reduces the amount of synthetic pesticides and chemicals that pollute our soil and water.

Interested in eating in-season foods? Here’s how to start:
Now that you have some insight on why it’s important to eat seasonally, how do you get started? The first thing to do is know what is locally in season in your area using a resource like The Seasonal Food Guide. Then, make a list of what products you like from that list or even ones you haven’t tried before but want to try. Shopping at your local farmers market instead of a chain grocery store whenever possible is a great way to ensure everything you’re buying is local and sustainable, but most grocery stores or produce labels will flag local products. If these aren’t options for you, just purchase organic versions of whatever is in-season food, as these are most likely to be the most local and will still contain similar benefits if they’re not.
As for knowing how to eat the in-season food, make a Pinterest board with recipes that include the fruits or vegetables so you can make your shopping list and buy everything you can locally. Bonus tip: If you’re worried about wasting food or money because you’ll never eat all that produce before it goes bad, chop up and freeze any fruits and veggies to defrost later, add them to dishes like stews, or use them in smoothies for a seasonal boost.

How to Hygge-ify to Your Diet More

‘Tis the season for all things hygge, or the Danish and Norwegian concept of the feeling of coziness, connection with loved ones, and pleasure. As the weather changes, we’re making our homes more hygge-approved (candles, fuzzy blankets, and faux fur everywhere), but we can also apply the concept into every area of our lives too (hygge is a feeling, not a decor style). On a mission to hygge-ify my entire life, I set out on a mission to change my diet for the colder seasons. Thanks to several cookbooks and interviewing my partner’s mother for a first account experience (she’s from Denmark and is a regular practitioner of hygge), I took a deep-dive into how the Danes find joy and pleasure in their everyday meals, and how you can do the same. Read on for six ways you can apply the hygge concept to your diet.

1. Be mindful of where (and how) you eat
Hygge nutrition is just as much about how you eat as what you eat. While most of us eat quickly while on the go or mindlessly while in front of our work computers, meals are meant to be the time in our days where we can take a pause, slow down, and enjoy the food and company. Even a simple weeknight meal can turn into a special occasion when you light some candles, set out the special silverware you typically save for when your mom comes, and play your favorite playlist. 
Invest in tea lights and scatter them about your apartment, drape a few faux sheepskins over the backs of dining chairs, and add natural elements like flowers as the centerpiece to amplify comfort and ambiance. Trust me: Being mindful about how your space is set up will help you enjoy the meal even more, whether it’s a gourmet dish or leftovers for the third night in a row. If a meal at the table just won’t do, hygge encourages you to live life based on what makes you feel most comfortable and happy, so allow yourself to eat in front of the TV if you want to. Get cozy blankets, make a warm meal, and play your favorite show that makes you laugh to unwind from your day.

Source: Ekrulila | Pexels

2. Eat seasonally
In Denmark, every season has their own customs and foods that shift as the times of year change. For example, the first of the new potatoes, green stalks, and asparagus show up in the spring; summer brings strawberries, pumpkins, and raspberries; the fall means Danes lean into more traditional, comforting meat-based dishes (autumn is hunting season); and winter is heavy in garlic, leeks, rhubarb, peas, etc. The point is that every season naturally brings different produce, and, while we have access to any produce year-round in our grocery stores, we should focus on eating seasonally to give our bodies what it needs and be in line with nature. Hit up your local farmer’s market to find what’s fresh and in-season or check out a seasonal food guide to find what’s in-season near you.

3. Eat locally
Along with seasonality is the importance of eating what is local to where you live. Eating locally is another way to stay in line with nature and to eat the freshest foods possible, but it also is a way to connect to your community, which is one of the most important concepts of hygge. Because what’s grown locally in southern California will be totally different than upstate New York (and even more different across the world), the healthiest, most sustainable, and best way to eat locally is to support local businesses and eat based on your climate, season, and geographical location.
For example, if you live by a coast, seafood (local to your area) is probably really fresh, or if you live in a state known for its apple orchards, you probably have access to the most nutritious, flavorful apples when they’re in season. To start eating more locally, shop from farmers markets, support restaurants and grocery stores that are farm-to-table, or check out a website like LocalHarvest to help find nearby farms you can visit yourself.

Source: Daria Shevtsova | Pexels

4. Don’t plan too far in advance
While meal-prepping for the week and heading to Costco to buy in bulk is a norm for most of us, prepping meals too far in advance or even buying fresh food less often is not the hygge way. For one reason, you want to be able to eat based on what your body is craving and what would sound most enjoyable to you. If you’re craving a fresh tomato pasta dish, heading to the grocery store (or farmers market!) to get ingredients the day before is much more satisfying and comforting than forcing yourself to have the same soup you meal prepped for the week. Plus, when you buy less food more often, you’ll have fresher food on hand and be able to vary more easily instead of going off of the same grocery list every week. For example, you can buy the catch of the day for dinner tonight instead of the same frozen shrimp you always get, or have crisper, fresher lettuce for your salads. 

5. Take time for Kaffe
When was the last time you ordered coffee and actually sat down to drink it (not in front of a computer)? Better yet, when did you last make coffee at home and invite friends and family over to enjoy it with you? Enter: kaffe. While the word just translates to “coffee,” it also has an implied emotion and ceremony surrounding it. In other words, kaffe is not something you chug or take a shot of in order to have enough energy to tackle your loaded work schedule–it’s something you sip, enjoy, and savor, preferably with loved ones. Bring kaffe to your coffee routine by spending an extra five minutes in the morning to sip and enjoy. Likewise, when you’re tempted to run to Starbucks with your head down and AirPods in, ask a coworker to come along instead. After all, fostering community is a key part in what makes Denmark such a happy place to live.

Source: Polina Tankilevitch | Pexels

6. Indulge in your sweet tooth
This may be the only diet-related article that encourages you to eat sugar, but what is cozier than a warm cup of cocoa and cookies fresh out of the oven, or what is more comforting than your grandma’s chocolate cake? Desserts like Drømmekage or Æblekage are essential to Danish culture and are typically enjoyed with loved ones. Of course, bingeing on packaged candy or mindlessly chowing down on a carton of ice cream is not very “hygge.” The purpose is indulgence, comfort, and pleasure (not mindless eating and sugar addiction!) so to add more hygge to your diet, try baking your favorite sweet treats at home that remind you of happy childhood memories, or invite neighbors and friends over for a plate of cookies or pumpkin bread. And if a dessert 

8 Easy Ways to Experience Hygge at Home More

It’s 2002. You just got home from school, so you grab a Push Pop from the cabinet and turn on the TV because Lizzie McGuire is on. Life is good. 19 years later, Hilary Duff is still an icon. Maybe we no longer look to her for boy advice (Ethan Craft, you’re so 2001) or how to artfully apply 18 butterfly clips to your hair, but we can look to her for lots of other inspiration: motherhood, chic fashion, and #fitspo (let’s be honest, she looks better now than when she was a teenager). 
A key piece of the latter (besides undoubtedly killer genes) is Erik Young, a celebrity nutrition coach. Duff swears by Young for keeping her healthy while still enjoying bread, chocolate, and wine. Yes, you read that right. Celebrities are just like us! With other celeb clientele (including the Molly Sims), Young is basically Hollywood’s best kept secret. I knew I had to grill him for all of his best health tips (and where, oh where, does the bread, chocolate, and pasta fit in?). Read on for seven healthy eating hacks that this celebrity nutrition coach swears by for a healthy diet that still includes all your favorite foods. Now that is what dreams are made of. 

Meet the expert
Erik Young
Celebrity Nutrition Coach
Erik Young is a NASM-certified personal trainer, macro nutritionist, and celebrity nutrition coach as well as owner of The Body Shop, a personal training + nutrition coaching service based in Arizona.

1. Healthy eating should be flexible
Young is called the flexible nutrition coach for a reason. While he’s a fan of the 80/20 rule (80 percent of the foods you eat are nutritious, whole foods, while 20 percent is food that is “just for fun”), he knows that there’s room for the foods you love, even in a nutritious diet. “With a flexible dieting approach, you can enjoy foods you don’t think you would normally be able to when trying to make changes in your body,” he explained. Young’s approach is to give clients exact macronutrient percentages and calorie goals based on each individual’s body composition, current diet, and health goals. That means that there’s room to adjust those macro percentages and calorie goals based on the indulgences and meals you love. As Young says, “Track your macros, eat what you want, and enjoy life.”

2. Knowledge is power
PSA, you can’t just “start on a diet” one day and hope for the best. Knowing what you’re currently eating, lifestyle habits, and the food you gravitate toward is crucial for success. “I start off by getting a three-day food journal so I can get an idea of what clients are eating and how much they are eating,” Young explained. Try tracking what you eat for a few days. Make a list of your meals and snacks, or even take pictures on your phone. You’ll start to see patterns where cravings come up, what foods or flavors you love, and what you’re actually eating (versus what you think you’re eating). The idea here is not to judge but to get curious. Self-awareness is the key to health in every area, so figuring out where you are and what you’re eating is crucial for knowing the next steps. 

3. Meal prep
Unfortunately for you meal prep haters, prepping in advance is key to keeping up a healthy diet. “Most of us don’t have a lot of time during the week, so it’s almost impossible to cook three meals a day every day,” Young said. “You will definitely set yourself up for a successful week if you already have food made.” As for what and how to prep? You bet I asked for all the details! Young recommended keeping it simple by prepping a carbohydrate, a protein, and some veggies. He likes cooking rice or potatoes in bulk (super easy and still tastes good when reheated!) or having tortillas on hand for easy meals and healthy carbs. As for protein, baked chicken is the easiest, but ground turkey keeps better. If you don’t eat meat, try roasting tofu or rinsing chickpeas ahead of time. As for veggies, you can roast at the beginning of the week or steam the day of since it’s fairly easy. 

4. Snacks are your friends
Snacking not only has a place in a healthy diet, but it is also crucial for keeping a healthy diet. Picture this: You had a nutritious breakfast, deliciously healthy lunch, and are fully prepared for a tasty, veggie-filled dinner out. But then your hunger starts to kick in around 4 p.m., and by the time you get to the restaurant, you’re scarfing down the bread basket and ordering Fettucine Alfredo over the tasty salmon dish you had planned. Nothing wrong with eating bread or Fettucine Alfredo (yum and yum!), but if you’re not really enjoying it and just mindlessly eating because you’re so hungry, that’s not great for a healthy diet or a healthy relationship with food. Try adding in snacks between meals (because FYI: when your body feels hungry, you should eat). Young recommended clients try snacks like nuts, fruit, hummus, yogurt, cottage cheese, popcorn, string cheese, and KIND bars.

5. When eating out, plan in advance
Speaking of restaurants, you can eat out and still have a healthy diet. In fact, if a diet ever tells you to stay home to avoid eating out, run (life is meant to be enjoyed!). Since many of Young’s clients are celebrities, he’s used to making a healthy diet work, even when restaurants, events, and takeout are a part of everyday life. The key? Planning ahead. “Clients who are on-the-go or eat out often should have their day planned out,” he explained. “You can pretty much get a meat and veggie or a protein and a carb at any restaurant. If a client does want to have pancakes for breakfast, then we would just eat less carbohydrates through the rest of the day to compensate. It’s all about balance!”
In other words, look up menus ahead of time to make a plan of what to eat, or build your day around allowing for the indulgences you want. Young knows that carbohydrates or fats are not an enemy against health goals (they’re important nutrients your body needs). Instead, he teaches that the key to achieving goals is to have a balance between all macronutrients throughout the day, and planning out your meals helps you get there. 

6. If you don’t feel like you’re on a “diet,” you’re doing it right
What makes Young’s program unique (read: flexible) is that he asks clients what they like to eat in all categories (like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fruits, and veggies) as well as their non-negotiables so that he can fit those into the plan too. “Our whole goal is to have clients not feel like they are on a diet so they are more likely to stick to the plan and sustain the changes.” Anything that’s meant to be temporary or feels too restrictive does not work. Restriction is unsustainable by nature, so at best, you’ll “fail,” but at worst, you’ll experience damaging emotions, food guilt, and nutrient deprivation. “Healthy eating” does not mean only eating certain foods, it actually just means being aware of getting in the right nutrients for your body while still enjoying the foods you love. Not only is there room for your indulgences in a healthy diet, but it also wouldn’t be “healthy” without them. 

7. Mindset is everything
“It’s very important to set expectations and be in the right mindset when you start your journey into healthy eating,” Young advised. “Focus on the big picture and don’t compare yourself to other people. There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors on social media, so just focus on you and your goals.” In other words, eat healthy for the right reasons. Change your diet because you want to feel your best in your body and keep it as healthy, energized, and balanced as possible. Also, don’t get discouraged if you don’t immediately reach your health goals or if you struggle with sticking to a healthy eating plan. Remember the key principle that Young (and Hilary Duff) know to be true: A healthy diet is supposed to be flexible.

7 Hacks That Make Eating Healthy Actually Easy More

You should know that I’ve been a major stan of the wellness company Sakara since I first found their website in college (spoiler alert: the branding is good). If you’re not familiar, Sakara is a plant-based meal delivery service, line of products, and lifestyle brand dedicated to making plant-based eating easy and helping people use food as medicine. As a wellness editor and holistic health coach, I have a lot of thoughts about how the wellness industry needs to change, like, yesterday (read: damaging diet culture, chemical-filled foods that pass as “healthy,” and an oversaturated supplement industry). Sakara has been one of the brands that, in my opinion, has always done it right. So when the founders released a cookbook, Eat Clean, Play Dirty, I ordered it as fast as I got my hands on a copy of Breaking Dawn when it came out in 2008 (since then, I’ve switched to #TeamJacob, thank you very much).
I’m a fan—nay, a worshipper—of a good wellness cookbook. I read them before bed as if they were novels and study them as if they were textbooks. “Extra,” maybe, but I do all the work so you don’t have to. I went through this one in literally three days and loved that while it was recipe-based, the cookbook took a holistic approach, acknowledging that food is only one piece of the cauliflower-based pie. “Lightwork” suggestions were sprinkled throughout the beet burgers and chickpea scrambles, ranging from writing a note with an affirmation to stick on your mirror to turning on your favorite song and practicing being silly. Not only is this the most lovely addition to any cookbook I’ve ever read, but it also made my week way more fun. Read on for what happened when I spent an entire week eating clean and playing dirty (or, you know, cooking only recipes from this Instagram-favorite cookbook). 

First step: meal prepping
The first step, of course, was to grocery shop and prep a few basic ingredients for the week. Here were a few things on my grocery list that have most certainly never been on it before: a jar of roasted red peppers, scallions, raw beets, coconut meat, daikon, and kabocha squash. Despite being a bit intimidated by daikon, I successfully completed the grocery list and prepped a few items for the week ahead. The key to eating healthy, whole foods (with less-than-simple recipes) is to prep what you can in advance. I made a few sauces (like a vegan Green Goddess dressing made with avocado) as well as prepped some grains (a couple of the recipes I was making called for rice, but I used quinoa just because I prefer it). I also prepared and roasted beets in parchment paper and washed and dried all the produce. 

Yes, I did DIY my own sauces
My first reaction was that many of the meals were actually pretty simple, even if they seemed intimidating, thanks to DIY sauces or sophisticated ingredients. All of my lunch recipes took less than 20 minutes to prepare. I loved that I wasn’t eating basic salads or simple protein and steamed veggies—these foods had flavor. One of my favorite lunches of the week was actually pretty similar (in terms of structure) to a quinoa bowl in my typical weekly lunch rotation. However, the simple addition of roasted and seasoned green beans made a huge difference in flavor (I would’ve normally microwaved green beans or just added raw veggies), but the biggest game-changer was the sauce. 
Let me go off about the sauces for a second: Whoever said plant-based eating does not have drool-worthy flavor has not tried any of the sauce recipes in Eat Clean, Play Dirty. The Green Goddess that I was so obsessed with was super easy to make; it was basically scallions, avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, basil, and mint, all blended together in my Nutribullet. It was creamier and tastier than any Caesar dressing or non-vegan Green Goddess sauce I had ever had. Another favorite sauce from the week was a “cheese” sauce, AKA a creamy spread made with roasted red peppers and tahini I made for tacos (see below), but I straight up ate the leftovers with a spoon because it was that good. Lesson learned: Homemaking your own sauces is so much simpler than you think and worth the cleanup or prep. Plus, veggies taste better when they’re blended. 

“Plant-based” isn’t as scary as it sounds
Another lesson: Beets are shockingly easy to cook with from scratch and wildly delicious when they’re roasted. If you’re like me and have only really eaten beets in raw form (like a beet salad), know that they are freaking delicious and savory when you roast them in the oven with some olive oil and cumin *chef’s kiss*. Thanks to the helpful insert in the cookbook, I also learned that beets are rich in enzymes that are programmed to seek out damaging toxins and then neutralize and eliminate them (delicious and detoxifying? Yus please!).
In general, a lot of the recipes or items I was intimated by turned out to be pretty easy to work with. FYI: Plant-based doesn’t have to mean difficult or bland. I cooked most of these meals for my boyfriend (who has never met a buffalo wing he didn’t like), and he didn’t think twice about eating totally plant-based meals because I don’t even think he realized he was. Turns out, when he’s eating flavorful and delicious meals, he doesn’t really question what’s in them. 

While Eat Clean, Play Dirty is technically a plant-based and vegan cookbook, it definitely doesn’t feel like you’re taking away anything. The book is full of sandwiches, pizzas, pasta, desserts (more on that below), and it all looks so delicious, you forget that it’s leaving out some of your favorite foods, whether it’s chicken, brie cheese, or sourdough bread. A lot of nutrition cookbooks first focus on what not to eat or what to cut out, or they have a limited amount of healthy fats or portion sizes to restrict calories, so I love that Sakara fits so seamlessly with my own personal beliefs of adding as many whole foods to your plate as possible rather than taking away or limiting.

The goal of eating should be adding in as many nutrients as possible
The recipes may not be five-ingredients-and-under kind of simple, but I loved getting out all my veggies, grains, and flavors to marvel at how many nutrients I could fit into a meal. For example, the delicious little Rainbow Wraps above contained seven different whole foods in a small little package (and would’ve contained eight if I didn’t forget to buy the strawberries the recipe called for). Maybe our goal with food shouldn’t always be easier or less; maybe the goal should be to nourish our bodies more. 
Even the desserts were full of nutrients. TBH, I was pretty intimidated by the Sexy Cinnamon Rolls (I did not know what psyllium husk powder was and also could not find coconut palm sugar at the store), so I opted for these Seed Butter cookies that were fairly simple and took me under 10 minutes to assemble. Spoiler alert: If you were wondering if sunflower seed butter was a thing and if it could turn into cookies (as I know you were), it is and it can! If oat flour, seed butter, and honey can turn into delicious, decadent cookies, you can do anything. 

When all was said and done (and by that I mean the week was over and my fridge was completely empty), I truly felt the most nourished I had in a long time. After being used to the same basic recipes over and over again, my week with Sakara reignited my love for cooking and my passion for wellness—I wasn’t just going through the motions. Every day, I felt excited to cook and even more excited to eat.

Here’s What I Learned:
1. We can all be salad girls
I’m traditionally not the type to eat salads for meals. A side salad or starter, sure, but I never felt satisfied enough and typically crave something warm, a little tastier, or more filling. But after trying a variety of salads with additions like roasted tamari mushrooms or a creamy Green Goddess dressing, consider me an official convert. Basically, if you “don’t like veggies,” you’re not doing veggies right. I lived a lot of my teenage and young adult life thinking I wasn’t going to be one of “those girls” who ate salads for meals, called their diets plant-based, and said no to cheese or pasta (like that’s possible?). But ever since I proudly chowed down french toast sticks and spaghetti marinara (at the same time, yes, it has happened) in the high school cafeteria, I’ve learned that we are all “those girls;” it’s just about finding the foods that not only make us feel good but taste good too. Trust me, you won’t miss nacho fries or Dominos pizza when you’re shocked at how delicious a roasted red pepper “cheese” sauce tastes. 

2. You can do hard things
OK, so this is a Glennon Doyle quote that is meant to apply to actual life problems, but I think it can be applied to cooking my way through the Sakara cookbook too. No, many of the recipes were not “simple,” but I quickly learned that they were doable. Even complicated chutneys were a few basic ingredients mixed together in a bowl. Not to brag or anything, but I did DIY a vegan cheese, bake nutseed-based cookies, roast a raw beet, and make my own curry. And guess what? I did it during an extremely busy work week when my dog also happened to have severe diarrhea for about three days (sorry if that was TMI, but I just wanted to paint the picture that I didn’t have all day to twiddle my thumbs while waiting for the oven timer to go off). Bottom line: Dishes you never thought you could make might be more achievable and simple than you think. I can do it, and you can too. 

3. Romanticize lunches
Yes, I’m good at eating my veggies and pretty much only cook plant-based meals, but I typically rotate between the same lunches. Read: avocado toast, a quinoa bowl with some basic veggies and coconut aminos, or a salad wrap. Lunch has historically been about convenience and what’s in my fridge. But this week got me to realize how much better I felt when I took time to make my lunches feel special. Blending herbs into a delicious homemade dressing or roasting veggies with fresh spices not only made my lunches taste more delicious, but it also reminded me that every chance I have to eat is a chance to make my life a little more special. I’m big on romanticizing the little moments in life, and this was my reminder to romanticize lunch too. Catch me spending my lunch break DIYing sauces and blending gourmet soups from now on. It’s well worth the time and effort. 

4. Trying new things is a healthy eating hack
The biggest lesson I learned after this week is to become more adventurous in the produce I can cook. Roast a beet? Never thought I’d do that in my life. Purchase and cook chard? Astonishing. Rather than sticking to the same grocery list of produce (spinach, berries, avocado, repeat), I feel much more confident in my ability to pick out what’s in season or try a new veggie and figure out a way to make it delicious. Also, that aforementioned basic meal rotation? Consider it a thing of the past. Trying new flavors, foods, and recipes are not only the way to keep cooking interesting but also the most enjoyable way to eat healthy foods that make your body feel good. 

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