Snack Your Way to a Healthier You

We all know fruits and vegetables are good for us. For the estimated 87 per cent of Canadian women who will resolve to eat healthier in 2016, adding wholesome snacks like fruit, vegetables and yogurt can be the perfect solution to stay on track and avoid the temptations that can derail a diet.

According to a recent survey by Leger and Activia, only 16 per cent of Canadian women manage to keep their New Year’s resolutions. Turning a resolution into a long-term habit takes more than just motivation: almost one-third of women have failed to keep resolutions that they believe were unrealistic to achieve, while 23 per cent believe that these objectives are difficult to integrate to their routine.

The trick to achieving healthy eating goals can be as simple as making smarter choices. “There is a definite misconception that healthy eating means depriving yourself of delicious food,” says professional home economist and cookbook author, Mairlyn Smith. “A successful long-term healthy eating plan includes incorporating nutritious elements. In other words, eat – but eat the right foods.”

Smith suggests the top three tips for sticking to your healthy eating goals:

Replace high-fat and or sugary baked goods with healthier choices. For example, swap your afternoon empty calorie snack with a crunchy apple, or choose a small handful of heart healthy nuts instead of a high fat snack like chips.
Choose options that can provide essential nutrients such as yogurt. Not only is yogurt an essential source of protein, but it can also be a convenient source of dairy, as recommended by Canada’s Food Guide. The Activia Challenge, can be the ideal tool to introduce yogurt into your diet. By encouraging participants to eat Activia twice a day, the challenge is a simple, delicious way to work towards a new healthier lifestyle,” says Smith.
Get a friend involved. Sharing a mutual goal makes it more achievable – and can be an essential source of moral support.