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Why Most New Year’s “Healthy Eating” Plans Fail by February (And How to Do One That Actually Sticks)

Every January feels like a fresh start. We commit to healthier eating habits. We stock our grocery carts with produce, clear junk food from our pantry, and map out the perfect sustainable weight loss meal plan. 

By February, our carefully laid New Year’s Resolutions have unraveled. But, that does not equal failure. Instead, it’s the plans that have failed. Many people don’t build New Year’s eating plans in a way that works with human physiology or behavior. Instead, they rely on willpower. 

The good news is that you can maintain healthy eating all year long with just a few key shifts. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this possible. 

Why Most New Year’s Eating Plans Backfire

Many January health plans collapse not because people lack discipline, but because the plans themselves are built in ways that don’t align with human psychology, physiology, or real life. Extreme rules, unrealistic expectations, and constant decision-making create pressure that most people simply can’t sustain. When a plan feels rigid or exhausting, it becomes harder to follow over time. Understanding these patterns makes it easier to build an approach that actually lasts.

1. They Are Too Rigid 

One of the biggest reasons New Year’s health goals fail is because they are based on “All or Nothing” principles. They rely on extreme rules, such as: 

  • Cutting out entire food groups
  • Following rigid meal schedules
  • Relying on willpower alone for behavior change 
  • Labeling foods as “good” or “bad” often backfires.

Research consistently shows that restrictive diets increase the risk of binge eating, burnout, and weight gain. When a plan feels unsustainable, it usually is.

Studies have shown that dietary restriction is associated with increased cravings. It actually causes overeating. The stricter the rules, the harder it is to maintain the diet.   Healthy eating works best when it is realistic and flexible, not restrictive and punishing.

2. They Are Based on Unrealistic Expectations 

We live in a culture where we are taught to expect “instant results.” So, many people expect change to happen fast. When an overnight transformation doesn’t happen, a person may quickly become unmotivated. But, expecting rapid change is likely to lead to failure. Physiological changes, especially metabolic changes, take time. 

In addition, habit formation is also a gradual process.  According to Scientific American, it’s a myth that it takes just 21 days to form a habit. In studies, the average amount of time it takes to form a habit is roughly 3 times that, or 66 days. That’s 66 days of consistent work. For some people, it took just over 250 days. Sustainable progress is slow. However, it is far more likely to last.

3. They Require Too Much Planning 

Another frequently overlooked reason healthy eating plans fail is because of the work that goes into them. Many of the healthy meal plans that you find online are over-optimized. 

Trying to figure out the calories, macros, and food groups for 21 meals is a huge cognitive load. Meal planning can easily become a second job. And this is just the planning; it doesn’t include cooking and cleanup. 

All of this is mentally exhausting, so people tend to just give up and opt for convenience instead. 

Structured but flexible systems tend to work better. Reducing daily decisions around food makes consistency far easier. Services like LocalFoodz meal delivery help remove the planning and work of eating healthy. This makes sticking with a healthy diet so much simpler. 

4. They Focus on Extreme Clean Eating 

Clean eating refers to an approach that focuses on whole, unprocessed foods. On social media, you may see fresh, real ingredients showcased in photos and videos.  The problem is that meal plans built around this approach tend to focus on very strict rules. Trying to follow them can increase food anxiety and feelings of guilt. 

Psychological studies have shown that adhering to inflexible food rules, such as only eating “clean” food, is more likely to cause binge eating.  The healthier approach? Your eating habits should support your life, not dominate it.

What a Sustainable Weight Loss Meal Plan Actually Looks Like

Most New Year’s resolutions fail by February because they’re built on unrealistic expectations. The approaches that actually work don’t require hours of careful meal prep. Instead, they are flexible, balanced, and prioritize nutritional balance over social media trends.  If you want to make a change that lasts beyond February, focus on these five principles. 

1. Structured, But Not Rigid 

The most effective meal plans that work long-term aren’t the most trendy. They are built on solid nutritional science and designed to fit into your actual life. They give you a clear framework to follow. However, they shouldn’t make eating healthy feel like a punishment. You aren’t locked into eating the same thing every day. These meal plans have room for your preferences. 

This is where pre-built meal plans organized by specific goals, such as low-carb, become especially helpful. Whether you’re focused on muscle building, weight management, or balanced nutrition, you get meals that are designed for your specific goal while still having different options to choose from. 

2. Involves Fewer Decisions 

The average person makes over 200 food-related decisions every day. Decision fatigue refers to the mental exhaustion that occurs from making too many decisions. We have all felt it. The problem is that it leads to poorer decision-making. 

When meal plans are very complicated and require a ton of effort, people are much more likely to abandon them and choose quick (and unhealthy) takeout instead. 

A 2025 article published in Nutrients points out that frequent food decisions throughout the day likely contribute to decision fatigue, which then leads to more impulsive and less health-conscious eating. The review suggests that having healthy options ready to go, may be one of the best ways to counteract this effect.

3. Makes Room for Real Life (and Dessert)

People who maintain healthy habits long-term focus on consistency over perfection. Enjoying dessert or missing a meal prep day does not mean that the plan is ruined. However, many people have the mindset that if you mess up your meal plan, then the whole plan is ruined. This mindset causes them to quit entirely.

A sustainable approach makes room for mistakes (and dessert). People who take this approach go ahead and satisfy those sweet cravings with keto scone bites now and then. Enjoying something sweet doesn’t mean that you have to abandon your plan. It is part of the plan. 

4. Fits Into Your Routine 

When it comes to behavior change, routine is critical. It reduces cognitive load and automates actions. Having predictable meal options, eating at regular times, and reducing choices around food all support consistency.

When you have a routine, healthy eating becomes automatic. Healthy routines don’t have to be rigid. They simply need to be something you can repeat daily. 

5. Focuses on Balanced Meals Over Diet Trends

One reason January plans fail is that they follow social media trends rather than scientific evidence. Those viral TikTok trends may seem appealing, but they rarely are based on science, which makes them unlikely to be effective. Furthermore, many could be harmful. According to research conducted by MyFitnessPal, only 2 percent of the nutritional advice found on the platform is accurate compared to the actual nutritional guidelines from health officials. 

Instead of relying on guidance from social media influencers who may not be qualified to provide nutrition advice, choose an approach that is based on science. Look for one that emphasizes balance over extremes, which is how LocalFoodz meals are designed. 

Building a Sustainable, Healthy Eating Plan 

If your goal is to maintain a healthy lifestyle beyond January, as part of a sustainable weight loss program, focus on these things: 

  • Aim for consistency, not perfection: Missing a day doesn’t mean that you cannot restart. 
  • Allow flexibility without guilt: Choose customized meals that allow you to select what you want to eat, including snacks and desserts. 
  • Reduce decision fatigue wherever possible: Choose healthy, fresh meals that are already nutritionally balanced. 
  • Choose sustainability over speed: When it comes to adopting a healthier diet, slower progress wins. 
  • Focus on balance, not restriction: Your body needs a mix of macronutrients to function. Eliminating what might be considered to be “unhealthy” food groups might seem like a quick way to lose weight. However, healthy fatsand carbohydrates are extremely important. Eliminating or restricting these can affect hormone regulation and more. 
  • Don’t fear convenience: Healthy eating does not require hours of meal prep. This is nothing more than a myth. Convenient meals from LocalFoodz offer flexible, nutritionally balanced options without the fuss. 
  • Take the stress out of healthy eating: Pay attention to how your eating plan makes you feel emotionally. If you feel bad about yourself because of food choices,  it’s working against you. Healthy eating should feel supportive, not stressful. 

Final Thoughts: The Real Reason Healthy Eating Resolutions Often Fail 

Most New Year’s weight loss meal plans fail, not because of willpower, but because they focus on completely overhauling your diet, or expect too much, too quickly. Healthy eating that is realistic and satisfying stops being a January resolution and becomes a habit. 

Sustainable weight loss meal plans that work fit into your daily routine. They feel enjoyable instead of being overly restrictive. They are also flexible, balanced, and yet structured at the same time. 

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Business

The Local Foodz Difference

At Local Foodz, we’re not here to copy what other meal prep companies are doing. We’re here to solve the real problems customers face — with healthier meals, more flexibility, and service that truly puts you first.

And unlike many national services, our food is always fresh, never frozen — so every bite tastes like it was made just for you.

1. Healthy & Customizable

Struggling to hit your nutrition goals? We’ve got you. Every meal can be tailored to your needs:

  • Choose your proteins, sides, sauces, and toppings.
  • Select the portion size that’s right for you.
  • Enjoy the peace of mind that our portions are measured after cooking — when you order an 8 oz steak, you get 8 oz of cooked meat, not raw weight like at a restaurant.

This level of transparency and control means you never have to compromise on your health or your preferences.

2. Tons of Variety

Tired of boring menus? We keep things exciting with rotating seasonal chef specials while always keeping customer favorites available. Whether you’re craving pasta, tacos, salads, or Asian-inspired dishes, we make sure you’ll never get bored of eating well. And since every meal is made fresh, never frozen, you can count on the quality being just as good as it looks.

3. Flexible, No-Commitment Plans

Life changes — your meal plan should too. With Local Foodz:

  • Order meals individually or select 3, 5, or 7-day plans.
  • Choose one-time orders or set up a weekly subscription.
  • Save even more with 5% off 7-day meal plans.

No contracts, no month-long commitments — just flexibility designed around your lifestyle.

4. Transparent & Affordable

Eating healthy shouldn’t come with surprises. That’s why we provide:

  • Full nutrition facts on every meal (and available online too).
  • No sales tax, since our meals are delivered cold and ready to heat, just like groceries.
  • A flat delivery fee that covers all your meals — or free delivery once you hit the order threshold.
  • 2% cash back on every full-price purchase, putting money right back in your pocket.

5. Next-Day Local Delivery

Frustrated by late or inconsistent deliveries? We built our own logistics platform and use our own drivers to ensure meals arrive on time and in perfect condition. For most of the Greater Bay Area, we deliver five days a week (Sunday–Thursday). And because we’re local, if there’s ever an issue with your order, our team can respond immediately. Every delivery is handled with white-glove care, so your meals arrive fresh, never frozen, and ready to enjoy.

6. Sustainability & Community Commitment

We don’t just deliver meals — we deliver responsibly. Most of our packaging is fully compostable, and we actively take back ice packs and bags to sanitize, reuse, and recycle. By sourcing from local suppliers whenever possible, we keep your food fresh, local, and reduce our footprint at the same time.

7. Problem-Solving Over Imitation

Many meal prep services simply try to copy the competition. Local Foodz is built differently:

  • Struggling to hit your macros? → We give you granular customization and transparent labels.
  • Frustrated by delays? → We designed our own delivery software to keep drivers on track.
  • Bored with repetitive menus? → We rotate chef specials while keeping core favorites.

It’s not about keeping up with others — it’s about listening to our community and fixing the pain points in meal prep and delivery.

Looking Ahead

At the end of the day, our mission isn’t to compete — it’s to lead with innovation and care. With customizable, chef-driven meals that are always fresh, never frozen, and a technology stack built in-house, Local Foodz offers a service that’s truly unmatched.

And the best part? We’re only getting started. The future is filled with exciting updates and new features designed to make eating healthy even easier, more convenient, and more rewarding for you.

👉 Ready to experience the Local Foodz difference? Order your first meals today and taste what sets us apart.

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How Our Menu Works: Healthy Eating, Made Simple

At Local Foodz, we believe eating healthy shouldn’t feel like a chore—or a puzzle you have to solve. That’s why we designed our menu and process to be flexible, transparent, and rooted in the values that matter most: quality, balance, and accessibility.

Our Values: Food You Can Trust

Everything we do starts with a simple promise—real food, prepared with care.

  • Quality Ingredients: We use fresh, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, because flavor and nutrition start at the source.
  • Consistency: You should know what you’re getting every time you order from us. That means portion sizes, flavors, and freshness you can count on.
  • Flexibility: Everyone’s goals and lifestyles are different, so we make sure our meals can adapt to yours.

We know our customers are busy professionals, athletes, parents, and everything in between. Our goal is to take the stress out of planning, cooking, and portioning, while still keeping food exciting.

Healthy Eating Looks Different for Everyone

For some people, healthy eating means going low-carb. For others, it’s about hitting a high-protein target, or simply getting more vegetables in during the week. We don’t ask our customers to follow one diet over another—we believe there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

Instead, we focus on the foundation of it all: quality meals and portion control. Because no matter your diet style, balance and consistency are what truly make the difference.

How the Menu Works

At the bottom of it all, our menu starts with the building blocks: customized meals and meal components. You’ll see these in our customizable menu, where you can pick your proteins, sides, sauces, and add-ons by the ounce. Each attribute is also available individually on our sides menu, so you can order just what you need.

These same components are then combined in different ways to create our full lineup of dishes. For example:

  • Proteins like grilled chicken, Korean BBQ beef, or salmon can be enjoyed on their own, in a custom meal, or featured in one of our signature entrees.
  • Sides such as rice, yams, or vegetables can be added à la carte, used as the base of a custom meal, or paired with proteins to create a chef-driven plate.
  • Sauces and Add-ons bring variety and flavor, while also giving you control over how you want your meals to taste and feel.

This modular approach gives us the ability to use the same ingredient across multiple products while still keeping things fresh and exciting. It allows our chefs to be creative with new specials and signature entrees without reinventing the wheel every week—meaning more variety for you, with the same consistency you can count on.

On top of this foundation, we offer two main pathways:

  • Chef Specials, which rotate monthly and bring seasonal, globally inspired flavors.
  • Signature Entrees, which showcase balanced, complete meals built from those same core components.

Every dish is still designed with nutrition and portion control in mind—balanced macros, clear labeling, and flavors that hold up even when reheated. That way, no matter which path you take, you’re always getting food that works for your goals and your lifestyle.

How Components Build Our Menu

Here’s a look at how proteins, sides, sauces, and add-ons combine to create our full menu of meals:

Pre-Made Meal Plans: An Easy Way to Start

If you’re new to Local Foodz, our pre-made meal plans are the easiest way to dive in. These plans are designed to take the guesswork out of eating healthy, giving you a curated selection of meals that fit a variety of lifestyles and goals.

They’re a great starting point—you can simply choose a plan, get meals delivered, and begin building healthy habits right away. From there, it’s easy to fine-tune by swapping in meals you love, removing ones that don’t quite fit, or adding extras from our customizable menu.

Think of pre-made plans as your launchpad—a foundation that you can personalize as you discover what works best for your body, your taste buds, and your routine.

Our Healthy Eating Pyramid

To us, everything starts with the base: customized meals and components. From there, we layer on balanced meal options, dietary flexibility, and chef-curated variety to keep food both functional and fun.

Nutrition Transparency: Every Meal, Fully Labeled

We believe you should always know exactly what’s in your food. That’s why every single meal we prepare comes with a full nutrition label—calories, protein, carbs, fats, and more—so you can track your macros with complete confidence.

Whether you’re following a strict nutrition plan or just aiming to make better choices, our detailed labeling helps you stay on track without the guesswork. Transparency is part of our commitment to making healthy eating simple and accessible for everyone.

Why It Matters

Healthy eating isn’t about short-term diets—it’s about building sustainable habits. By making it easy to tailor your meals, we give you the tools to stay consistent, enjoy your food, and actually look forward to mealtime.

At the end of the day, our mission is simple: to help you feel good, perform better, and enjoy food that works for your life.

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Dietary Goals

Embracing Fats: They’re Not the Enemy in Your Weight Loss Journey

In the nutrition world, there’s a lot of disagreement when it comes to fats. Some experts claim that they destroy your waistline and ruin your health, while others say that fats are beneficial. So, what’s the truth? 

The truth is that fats are essential. You need to include some fats in your diet to stay healthy. For example, fats are necessary for helping your body efficiently absorb essential vitamins, lower your risk of heart disease and improve cognitive functioning. However, there are certain types of fat that you want to limit in your diet. 

Here we’ll break down the differences between the various types of fats, and which ones you should include in your day if you are striving for a healthy diet. 

What Are Fats?

Fats are nutrients found in food sources that your body can use as fuel. Fats also play a role in building nerve tissue, hormones and cell membranes. They are a source of energy for your body, and if you do not burn the same amount of fat you consume, your body stores them as fat cells. Eating too much fat contributes to weight gain since it is more dense in calories than protein and carbohydrates. Although fats generally get a bad rap (especially if you overeat them), if you don’t get enough of certain types of fat, it can negatively affect your health too.

Types of Dietary Fat

Your body needs fat to give you the energy to power through your day, keep you warm and protect your organs. There are four types of dietary fats in food. While your body needs certain types, it can do without the others:

Trans Fats

The unhealthiest fat in your diet is trans fats. A main source of trans fats is partially hydrogenated oils (PHO), which keep processed foods shelf-stable and improve their taste. Trans fats might make food taste good, but your body doesn’t need trans fats at all. In fact, eating too much trans fat puts you at a higher risk of stroke, certain forms ofcancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Other sources of trans fat include:

  • Vegetable shortening and margarine
  • Anything that is battered and fried
  • Butter and other dairy products
  • Processed foods such as pizza dough, biscuits and pastries
  • Some meats, including beef and lamb

The best way to avoid trans fats is to carefully check the labels of the products you buy at the grocery store. If the ingredient list on the package lists partially hydrogenated oil, you should skip it and select a different option.

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are dietary fats contained in animal products, including dairy, meats and eggs. At room temperature, these fats become solid. Some common sources of saturated fat include:

  • Butter, lard and coconut oil
  • Cakes and cookies
  • Fatty cuts of meat
  • Cured meats, including salami, chorizo and pancetta
  • Bacon and sausage
  • Cheese
  • Ice cream, milkshakes and chocolate

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends getting no more than 5 to 6 percent of your daily caloric intake from saturated fat. Consuming a lot of saturated fats puts you at a greater risk of heart disease and bad cholesterol.

Monounsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated fats are a type of fat that is beneficial to your health. This type of fat contains one unsaturated carbon bond in its molecule. Monounsaturated fats provide nutrients to maintain the cells in your body and can reduce harmful cholesterol levels within your blood, decreasing your risk of stroke and heart disease. Some sources of monounsaturated fats include:

  • Pecans, cashews and almonds
  • Peanuts and peanut butter
  • Sesame and pumpkin seeds
  • Avocados
  • Olive, peanut, canola, safflower and sunflower oils

At room temperature, monounsaturated fats are liquid, unlike saturated fats, which solidify. These fats can reduce LDL cholesterol. Lower LDL cholesterol may reduce your risk of stroke and also cardiovascular disease. Although fats, regardless of type, provide nine calories per gram, monounsaturated fats have a positive effect on your overall health. However, you should still eat them in moderation.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are called “essential fats” and are necessary to help reduce your risk of heart disease and arrhythmia and reduce triglycerides. Some good sources of these fats are:

  • Fatty and oily fish like herring, anchovies, salmon and striped bass
  • Some seeds and nuts like flax seed, sunflower seed and walnuts
  • Soybeans and tofu

Omega-3 fatty acids play a vital role throughout the body and help keep the heart, blood vessels, immune system, endocrine system and lungs functioning properly.

What Can Happen if I Don’t Get Enough Fat in My Diet?

Although it is important to restrict or eliminate sources of bad fat from your diet, you must eat enough good fat for your body to work correctly. Dietary fat is essential to have in your diet for several reasons. Monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids are instrumental in several biological processes. There are several harmful outcomes associated with a fat-deficient diet. Some of these consequences may include:

  • Increased hunger – While protein is known to help keep you feeling full for longer, a healthy amount of “good fats” in your diet also helps with satiety. By grabbing a handful of almonds or snacking on another healthy source of fat, you may be able to resist the urge to reach for a bag of chips in the afternoon.
  • Inability to concentrate – Your brain needs omega-3s to function optimally. You may have difficulty concentrating and a decrease in memory and cognitive capabilities without enough good fats. In fact, a recentstudy found that people who followed a Mediterranean diet experienced less cognitive impairment over time.
  • Skin issues – While it is rare, a condition known as essential fatty acid deficiency may cause a dry, scaly rash throughout the body. The main treatments are topical ointments and increasing your dietary intake of fatty acids.
  • An increased risk for heart disease – Good fats have protective properties and can cut your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Not getting enough good fats may mean missing out on legitimate health benefits.
  • Your body may not regulate blood sugar properly – By including monounsaturated fats in your diet and decreasing your saturated fat intake, you might improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin. If your body isn’t sensitive to insulin, it may produce more of it, leading to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

While you should still be mindful about the amount of healthy fats you consume, including them in your diet is important to maintain your overall health and may have significant benefits that can decrease your risk of developing various conditions.

Healthy Fats and Vitamin Absorption

Although dietary fat deficiencies are rare, especially for those with a well-balanced diet, those who don’t consume enough fat may not be able to efficiently absorb vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A, D, E and K are all fat soluble, which means they need fat present in the stomach for them to be absorbed properly. If your body cannot absorb them, then you are at risk of vitamin deficiency, which leads to a wide variety of health problems that include:

  • Muscle pain
  • Depression
  • Dry hair or hair loss 
  • Burning in the feet
  • Loose teeth
  • Swollen gums
  • Hyperkeratosis (“goose flesh”)
  • Depression
  • Irregular heartbeat 
  • Night blindness
  • Restless legs syndrome (RLS) 
  • Easy bruising

Additionally, severely restricting fat intake may compromise your immune system, leading to more sick days and a longer healing period. Fatty acids are also crucial for the wound-healing process, and a diet deficient in healthy fat may inhibit your body from properly healing itself.

Master Your Plate With Healthy Fats

Don’t stress yourself too much over obsessively counting fat grams the next time you take a trip to the grocery store. Instead, focus more on including a variety of nuts, beans and fatty fish in your diet throughout the week in moderation. Here are some great, easy ways to incorporate more healthy fats into your diet:

  • Add ground flaxseeds to your fruit smoothies for a quick boost of omega-3 fats to help you power through your day.
  • Stick with olive oil for cooking on the stovetop. If you’re baking, use canola oil instead of butter or margarine.
  • Add slices of avocado to your sandwiches or salads. You can even cut up some crunchy veggies and make homemade guacamole.
  • Try using crumbled-up nuts instead of breading your fish and chicken with breadcrumbs.
  • Snack on unsalted cashews or almonds. Try adding them to a trail mix, but avoid adding unhealthy ingredients like chocolate chunks.
  • Create your own salad dressing using flaxseed, sesame and olive oils as an alternative to commercial dressings, which usually contain high sugar and unhealthy fat.
  • Try healthy meal delivery. Choosing a healthy meal delivery service like Local Foodz Cali can ensure that you get the optimal amount of fats in your diet.


The hallmark of a healthy diet is moderation. Allowing yourself an occasional treat is okay, but try to keep to a sensible diet as much as possible. Remember to follow a balanced dietary plan, stay active and be mindful of the types of fats you are consuming. By including healthy fats in your dishes, you’ll be doing your heart, mind and the rest of your body a favor.            

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Health

The 12 Best Foods to Eat This Fall

Butternut Squash

From pumpkin to apples, fall offers some of the most delicious and nutrient-packed foods. Here are 12 of our seasonal favorites!            

Fall is a favorite time of year for many. The crisp, cool air and turning leaves are wonderful, but another reason to love the season is the delectable fall foods.

It’s harvest time, and that means that there are opportunities to enjoy fantastic foods that feature unbeatable flavor and texture.

When you put these foods on the table this fall, you’ll enjoy a more colorful plate as well as gain all of the benefits of antioxidants, protein and fiber. These foods offer quite a bounty of benefits. 

In fact, many of these items could be classified as superfoods. If you are committed to getting lean, supporting longevity and enhancing physical performance, it just makes sense to add these dishes to your regular nutritional routine.

Let’s take a look at some of the dishes and foods that are the stars of any fall meal plan.

1. Root Vegetables

Root vegetables are fall and winter vegetables that typically grow under the soil. Examples include sweet potatoes, carrots, jicama, and garlic. Root vegetables are packed with antioxidants and fiber.

So, how can you enjoy root vegetables? My favorite way to eat them is to roast them. Roasting makes them tender and caramelized. You can also shred them and make them into healthier hashbrowns. Some root veggies, like carrots, can be shredded and added to fall salads.

You could also try a whole wheat pasta with roasted veggies. What could be more satisfying than a big plate of pasta on a chilly day? The best part is that this pasta is good for you because it’s made with whole grains. That translates to a meaningful serving of fiber, which causes blood sugar levels to rise more slowly, thereby preventing food cravings. Whole wheat pasta also has a slew of valuable phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins. At the same time, it promotes gut health and contains more fiber than regular pasta. If that isn’t enough incentive, consider the veggies. Packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other good-for-you components, they are the perfect complement to a whole wheat pasta meal.

Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA

2. Brussels Sprouts

It turns out that there was a good reason why your mom always wanted you to eat your Brussels sprouts. They are incredibly good for you.

Brussels sprouts are part of the cruciferous family, the members of which are rich in items such as vitamin C and folate. Another reason to add them to your list of staple foods is the presence of cancer-fighting compounds. If your goal is lifelong health and fitness, Brussels sprouts can be an excellent choice.

3. Pears

Pears are sweet, crisp, and delicious — what’s not to love about them? Even better is the fact that they are a great source of both fiber and vitamin C. In fact, just one pear offers more than a quarter of your daily fiber needs (based on a 2,000-calorie diet).

Pears help keep hunger at bay thanks to the amount of fiber they have. This fact makes them a great snack in between lunch and dinner. Pears contain a type of fiber called pectin. This type of fiber helps slow down digestion. Studies have found that pectin may help to reduce the risk of heart attack.

Choose firm pears that give with gentle pressure. Store them in a fruit bowl or the fridge if you will not eat right away.

Tip: Splash cut pears with a bit of lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.

4. Butternut Squash

Inflammation is a chronic problem in modern life, but regularly including butternut squash in your nutrition can change that. Additionally, this amazing fruit is packed with antioxidants, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Butternut squash is high in potassium, which is essential for heart health.

Eating squash regularly may even help improve your bone density. That is because it is high in manganese, which is essential for bone health. Manganese may also help promote long-term eye health.

5. Sweet Potatoes

Forget the version of sweet potatoes that you see on the table at Thanksgiving. If you go without marshmallows and other unhealthy ingredients, sweet potatoes are a healthy dish.

Try roasting, broiling, or mashing sweet potatoes as an alternative to the annual Thanksgiving treat. Prepared in these ways, sweet potatoes are a powerhouse food that’s full of manganese, magnesium and fiber. These substances are excellent for your metabolism as well as lowering blood pressure and increasing bone density.

If you have diabetes or are concerned about your blood sugar, you have even more reason to appreciate sweet potatoes. This dish won’t cause your blood sugar to spike the way that regular potatoes do.

6. Pumpkin

Fall is that time of year when everything seems to be flavored with pumpkin, and for good reason. Pumpkin is amazing for your health.

Pumpkins are about so much more than Halloween. With a mega-dose of antioxidants as well as fiber, vitamins and protein, pumpkin deserves to be labeled as a superfood. The main antioxidant in pumpkin, beta-carotene, is believed to reduce your risk of certain cancers, protect you against heart disease, and can even help mitigate your risk of developing macular degeneration.

Looking for ways to enjoy pumpkin? Try pumpkin mini muffins. They make an excellent snack between meals. Roasted pumpkin seeds are also a very tasty snack idea.

7. Broccoli

Here’s another cruciferous vegetable that deserves to be a part of your regular nutritional rotation. One of the main reasons for eating broccoli is the incredible amount of vitamin K that it contains. Essential for the proper functioning of a variety of proteins that help with blood clotting, vitamin K is critical to good health.

Broccoli also boasts a good concentration of folate, which is crucial for producing and maintaining new cells. Don’t forget that this powerful fall vegetable also is packed with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and fiber.

8. Cranberries

What gives cranberries their distinctive, deep-red color? It turns out that it’s a compound known as anthocyanin. This compound is more than just a pretty color. It’s also a valuable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Cranberries even have a decent amount of fiber, which means they help you feel fuller longer. Plus, regularly including cranberries in your routine supports the health of your bladder and may guard you against cancer of the lung, colon, breast and prostate.

9. Apples

This quintessential fall food is a powerhouse when it comes to fiber. Eating just one small apple gives you four grams of fiber, making it easier to meet your daily fiber goal. When you ensure that you’re eating sufficient fiber, you are lowering your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and colorectal and breast cancer.

Make sure you eat the apple’s peel because it’s packed with antioxidants and polyphenols that guard you against the oxidative stress that is a precursor for many chronic diseases.

10. Leeks

Leeks are one of the most underrated foods. They have a milder flavor compared to onions but pack all of the same nutrients. Leeks are packed with antioxidants, such as lutein and zeaxanthin.  They are also fiber-rich.

Wondering what to do with leeks?  These slim vegetables are a great substitute for onions. You can add them to your favorite pasta dish.

Photo by Emma Jones

Tip: Choose a pile of leeks that are crisp. Make sure you wash them carefully before cooking.

11. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are perfect when you need something to enhance your meal. Earthy mushrooms pair perfectly with so many foods. A good source of vitamins B and D, mushrooms are a great addition to everything from pasta to salads because the texture is similar to meat.

12. Radishes

Radishes are often ignored but they shouldn’t be. They are packed with nutrients including vitamin K, calcium, and potassium. The tiny radish is a versatile veggie that you can add to any fall dish. They are especially good with chicken street tacos. The radish adds a nice crunchy bite.

Let’s Recap

Thanks to the beautiful fall colors, changing leaves, and abundance of healthy and tasty fall vegetables, fall is one of the best seasons of the year!

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Health

8 Common Nutrition Myths Debunked

Photo of Tres Tacos

Scrolling through Instagram and other social media sites, you’ll discover a variety of conflicting nutrition advice. Carbs are good for you. Carbs are bad for you. Red meat will lead to an increased risk of a heart attack. Red meat cuts the risk of a heart attack.

It can be hard to know what to believe. In this article, I will debunk some of the most popular nutrition myths.

#1 It Takes Too Much Time To Prepare Nutritious Meals

For most people, it just isn’t possible to cook heavy meals from scratch every day. When your time is taken up with work, kids, school, and other obligations, it can be impossible to find the time to find a healthy recipe, chop up vegetables, and cook the meal. Luckily, all of this is not necessary to eat healthy foods.

If you’re short on time, there are lots of ways to eat healthier, including utilizing meal delivery services. You can get fresh meals delivered right to your home. This totally eliminates prep and clean-up and makes it easy to fit eating healthy into your hectic schedule. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy a nutritious, tasty meal.

#2 Healthy Food Is More Expensive

The idea that healthy food is more expensive is something that you believe. I know that it’s certainly something that I hear a lot. But, it’s just a myth that it costs more to eat nutritious food. In the short run, it may be more expensive to eat healthier foods. However, this cost is extremely small compared to the health costs of an unhealthy diet, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.

Over the long run, poor nutrition costs much more. That is because diets high in sodium, saturated fat, and refined sugar are linked to a variety of health issues, including diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. These issues result in increased medical costs across a person’s lifespan. According to public health research, poor diets are linked to more than $50 billion in health care costs in the United States.

So, how can you save money on healthy eating? Healthy meal delivery can save you money on nutritious food if you use it in the right way, such as using it on a regular basis to replace trips to the grocery store. That alone can help you cut down on the costs of gas.

#3 Snacking Is Really Bad for You

Organic strawberry chia pudding

There are a lot of mixed opinions when it comes to snacking. Snacking gets a bad reputation. But, then others say that it’s not that bad. There is even research that indicates that it can actually reduce the likelihood of overeating at meals. So, who is right?

The truth is that snacking can be either good or bad. It can work for or against you. It depends on how you snack. On one hand, it takes the edge off your hunger and can supply the beneficial nutrients that your body needs. Snacking can be problematic if you choose highly processed cookies and chips from the vending machine which will ultimately cause your blood sugar to crash.

However, if you choose snacks that are nutritious, they can actually boost your nutrient intake. For example, this organic strawberry chia pudding is high in dietary fiber and protein, both of which are essential for a healthy diet. Both fiber and protein can help keep you full longer.

#4 Red Meat Should Be Avoided At All Costs

You have probably read the headlines: “Red meat is bad for you!” But, is it true? The answer is that it depends. There are many health benefits of eating red meat. However, the benefits boil down to what type of red meat you eat, how much, and how often.

There is evidence that eating certain types of red meat, especially processed meats, like sausage and bacon, are not good for your health. However, other types of red meat, including leaner cuts of steak are very nutritious. Eating these on a regular basis can help ensure that you get adequate amounts of protein in your diet.

# 5 I Take Supplements, I Don’t Have To Pay Attention To Nutrients 

Supplements can’t replace the nutrition that you get with healthy, fresh foods. According to WebMD, when you eat whole foods, you are getting food in its natural state, which is more likely to result in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals remaining intact in the food.

Studies have shown that eating fresh fruits and vegetables is a better way to get the vitamins and minerals that your body needs compared to taking supplements. Getting your nutrients from supplements can even be harmful to your health. That’s because some supplements can contain vitamins in excess of daily nutritional needs. However, scientists say that exceeding the daily nutritional limit of vitamins by eating whole and fresh foods didn’t show the same risk.

#6 There Is A Specific Diet That Is Perfect for Everyone

You’ve heard the praise: A ketogenic diet is best or perhaps a low-carb diet is best. In truth, every diet wants its fans to believe it is the one that they should be following. But, there is no such thing as the perfect diet for everyone. The best diet is the one that works best for you.

The perfect diet for you should be one that provides a variety of nutrients and that you enjoy. This may be a keto diet, low carb, low GI, or plant-based. It just depends on what you like to eat and on your specific dietary needs.

#7 Eating at Night Will Make You Gain Weight

So, does eating at night cause weight gain? According to conventional wisdom, it doesn’t matter what time you eat. A calorie is a calorie, whether you eat it at 8:00 AM or 8:00 PM. However, there are lots of studies that have shown that eating late at night does, in fact, can lead to excess weight gain.

So, what is the truth? The bottom line is that you are no likelier to gain weight from calories eaten at night. The problem is that people who eat at night are more likely to choose higher-calorie foods and they are also more likely to overeat. That is because you are more tired at night and it becomes harder to make good decisions. The tendency is to grab whatever is available.

The most important factor is that you stay within your daily calorie needs. A good way to do this is with a meal plan that counts the calories for you. Choose a plan that includes a variety of nutritious foods, as well as snacks. That way, you can eat anytime you’d like as long as you stick to the plan.

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya

#8 Eggs Are Bad for Your Heart

It is true that eggs are high in cholesterol. However, the cholesterol in eggs doesn’t cause cholesterol levels to skyrocket in the same way that foods high in saturated and trans fats do, according to The Mayo Clinic.

Eggs are nutrient-dense and are a great source of protein. In fact, one egg alone has almost six grams of protein. Eggs also contain all nine essential amino acids. This is an important fact because your body needs amino acids but can’t make them by itself.

Final Thoughts

It’s time to put the above common misconceptions to rest. Hopefully, this advice will help you integrate better nutrition into your life every single day for a healthier, happier you!

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Fitness

The Benefits of a Low Resting Heart Rate

The Benefits of a Low Resting Heart Rate

What secret does your heart rate reveal about your health? When it comes to heart rates, a low heartbeat score may help you beat some disease risks. A healthy resting heart rate

(RHR) can be beneficial for your health. Take a look at what we know about the connection between a lower resting heart rate and a higher level of health. Knowing the full picture of the heart-health connection can help you get motivated to live a life with healthy meals, appropriate amounts of activity and all of the other factors that go along with getting into the correct heartbeat zone.

How Often Do You Think About Your Resting Heart Rate?

Resting heart rate refers to the number of times your heart beats per minute while you’re at rest. Most people you might poll on the street aren’t likely to know their own stats for resting heart rate. It’s simply not something we talk about enough! Do you know your resting heart rate? It’s easy to figure out. While there are many apps and devices that can help you to track your heart rate, you can also measure it using the following wrist technique:

  • Place your second and third fingers from one hand on the inside of the wrist of the opposite hand just below the base of your thumb.
  • You should be able to feel the movement of your pulse.
  • Next, count the number of beats that occur in a 60-second span.
  • Repeat a few times for accuracy.

A healthy resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, many factors can impact heart rate. People who are fit tend to have lower resting heart rates than people who don’t exercise regularly. In addition, factors like health conditions, medications and genetics can all influence your resting heart rate.

Making Sense of Your Resting Heart Rate

Focusing on the range for your resting heart rate can be much more important than obsessing over a specific number. A normal resting heart rate for women and men is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, trying to get to the extreme on either end isn’t necessarily something to strive for.

When your heart rate is lower, your heart can pump more blood with each contraction. This leads to a steady heartbeat.

However, bradycardia is a condition where the resting heart rate is considered too slow. Generally, it refers to a resting heart rate under 60 beats per minute. Before feeling alarmed, what is considered too slow is dependent on many factors including age and physical health. Many athletes and physically active adults have RHR under 60 beats per minute. And it’s not uncommon for a person’s heart rate to slow down below 60 BPM during sleep. A sign that a slow RHR is potentially too low is when you’re experiencing dizziness and shortness of breath when resting.

The opposite of a low resting heart rate is a high resting heart rate. When your resting heart rate is consistently above 100 beats per minute, your risk for a cardiovascular event is higher. When your heart rate is high, your heart is working harder to finish every contraction. As a result, your heart could potentially become overstressed.

How Your Resting Heart Rate Impacts Your Health

Resting heart rate is something that researchers studying cardiovascular health have been focused on for years. There are mountains of data pointing to the connection between heart rate and health. In a 2013 study, researchers tracking 3,000 men over a period spanning 16 years discovered that a high resting heart rate was closely linked with the following:

  • Lower levels of physical fitness.
  • Higher blood pressure.
  • Higher body weight.
  • Increased levels of circular blood fat.

The most concerning finding of this study was that a higher resting heart rate increased the risk for premature death. When heart rates reached between 81 and 90 beats per minute, the risk of death doubled. For participants with resting heart rates above 90, the risk for death was tripled.

Getting in the Zone: Are There Ways to Reduce Resting Heart Rate?

A healthy resting heart rate is the result of a complicated amalgam of health-related factors. The good news is that most people can make strides with reducing resting heart rate to reach an optimal zone after struggling with high resting heart rates. If you’re just now discovering that your resting heart rate is slightly higher than what would be considered ideal, it’s essential to know about some outlying factors that can be inflating your heart rate.

Stress and anxiety are two contributors to high resting heart rates that are often overlooked. When we’re feeling stressed and anxious, the adrenal gland releases a “stress hormone” called cortisol as part of the body’s natural “fight or flight” response. While this response is designed to keep us alive by throwing our response into overdrive at the sign of danger, it robs years from your life if you allow stress levels to stay elevated. That’s because cortisol causes both your heart rate and blood pressure to stay elevated. While it may not seem like the most satisfying answer, the reality is that taking steps to become more relaxed is vital for stabilizing your resting heart rate.

It’s also known that keeping cholesterol levels healthy can help with maintaining a low resting heart rate. That’s because cholesterol restricts blood flow through the blood vessels and arteries. As a result, your heart needs to try to operate much faster to keep blood moving. Unfortunately, this can tax your heart to its breaking point. Cholesterol levels are closely linked with diet. In fact, diet is one of the most powerful tools we can use to achieve a lower heart resting heart rate.

Which Foods Can Lower Your Heart Rate?

First, cutting out sodium is a great way to naturally bring down your heart rate without any drastic lifestyle changes. Many people find that switching from processed foods to naturally flavorful foods helps them to reduce salt intake without feeling deprived. It’s also known that foods high in potassium can reduce the impact of sodium on blood pressure. Some potassium-rich foods to add to your heart-healthy diet include:

  • Avocados.
  • Dairy.
  • Bananas.
  • Melons.
  • Leafy green vegetables.
  • Potatoes and sweet potatoes.
  • Tuna.
  • Salmon.
  • Beans.
  • Nuts and seeds.
Try our avocado toast!

Reducing your intake of processed sugars and refined carbohydrates is also vital for achieving a healthy heart rate. It’s also known that eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce heart rate. One meta-analysis published in 2012 found that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids significantly reduced heart rate. Fish is considered to be the best source of natural omega-3 fatty acids. That means that entrées like Broiled Blue Circle Salmon or Tilapia With Grits and Walnuts are perfect for someone looking to stay satisfied without making a heartbeat blunder. For those who aren’t fans of fish, there are still plenty of ways to get in those omega-3 fatty acids naturally through diet. Avocados are very high in omega-3 fatty acids. That makes options like guacamole and avocado toast very attractive.

Don’t Forget Exercise

Nutrition is primarily considered to be the most important factor in a good resting heart rate. However, peppering in some regular exercise while staying on track with meal prep can only make things better. How much exercise do you need to reduce your heart rate? First, knowing the type of exercise that makes the biggest impact is important. According to one study, the average 55-year-old adult only requires one hour per week of high-intensity aerobic training to significantly lower resting heart rate. We also know that keeping up with exercise is the key to keeping the heart stronger. That’s because the heart becomes stronger with more exercise. Using exercise to “train” your heart to get to a place where it pumps more blood with each beat means that your heart doesn’t need to work harder to catch up! This is where you get a lower resting heart rate.

When you don’t know where to start with an exercise plan, there’s one thing to know—simply following the American Heart Association’s recommendation of getting in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week should be enough to keep your heart fit. If you’re pressed for time, consider the American Heart Association’s alternate recommendation of fitting in 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week.

Final Thoughts: Achieving A Good Resting Heart Rate Resting Heart Rate Comes Down To Lifestyle

Are you unhappy with your resting heart rate? Change is possible. Remember that giving your heart a rest through diet is the best way to speed up your vitality! Consider doing meal prep to ensure that you have low-sodium, heart-healthy foods waiting for you at every meal to avoid the trap of grabbing for foods that are quick and easy.

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Fitness

5 Ways a Meal Delivery Service Can Supercharge Your Weight Loss Goals

Are you struggling to lose weight? If so, you aren’t alone! Trying to figure out what you should be eating and how much can often feel a little overwhelming. And then, it’s even more frustrating when you aren’t seeing results each time you step on the scale.

Instead of getting discouraged, it’s time to take your weight loss to the next level. The best way you can do that is by using a meal delivery service with already prepared meals such as LoCal Foodz. This way, you can eat food that’s healthy, still tastes great, and helps you shed those last few pounds

If you aren’t already convinced this is the way to go, here are five ways a meal delivery service can supercharge your weight loss goals. With these tips in mind, you’ll be dying to get your hands on your first meal!

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Health

What is this Keto diet all about?

Feeling overwhelmed with all the information out there? If so, keep on reading!

What if i told you that you could eat cheese, some bacon, avocado, & lot’s of other tasty goodies? Sounds crazy, right?

Keto friendly options

Keto takes a very specific approach to weight loss. It does this by burning dietary fat instead of glucose for energy. When you eat a low carb diet that is rich in fats, your body is able to use this fat as energy.

But what can you eat? What should you eat? How much of it should you eat? The questions go on & on.

While everyone’s body & caloric intake needs are different, you should aim to get roughly ~60-80% of your calories from Fat, 15-30% of your calories from Protein, & 5-10% of your calories from Carbohydrates.

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