Are you one of those who set a New Year's resolution that involves healthy food or a regular workout routine? A new year often means new goals and ambitions, and for many of us, exercise and health are high on the list. Setting a goal is one thing, but actually following through on your New Year's resolutions is often a big challenge. Good New Year's resolutions are those that have a concrete plan – the clearer they are, the easier it is to stick to what you promised. That's why we've put together our best advice on how to adopt smart exercise and eating habits and more easily find motivation on days when the couch feels a bit more comfortable, or inspiration for healthy cooking wavers. Here are our 5 best tips that will definitely help you kickstart the year the right way, plus 2 delicious healthy recipes!
1. Make a realistic workout plan based on your level
Having a well-planned workout routine is crucial to staying motivated, but make sure to create a realistic workout plan that fits your time and energy level. What many do wrong is having too big ambitions at the start, which leads to it being hard to get going because the step feels too big, or feeling like a failure when things don’t go as planned. So start with smaller goals, like going for a 30-minute walk every day or going to the gym 1-2 times a week, then increase the difficulty once you have a good routine and have built up strength.
2. Schedule your workouts like important meetings
Being consistent with your training is the key to success. So set a regular workout time each week and stick to it. Think of your workout as important as a work meeting – if it’s scheduled, you go. The hardest part of working out is usually not the workout itself, but actually getting there. A couple of tips to help you stick to the plan are to book group classes or decide to work out with a friend because, of course, you don’t want to be the one who backs out. Shared joy is double joy, so it’s definitely much more fun to work out together and encourage each other.
3. Vary your workouts & find new fun exercise forms
Another thing many fall into is that workouts start to feel boring and monotonous after doing the same thing for a while. So make sure to vary your workouts and find new exercise forms that feel fun and motivating. Training isn’t just about running long distances or lifting heavy weights at the gym; today there are endless workout options that keep the joy of training alive. Everything from megaformer, jumping fitness, boxing, spinning, pilates, circuit training, HIIT—the list goes on, so find something that works for you in the long run. Mixing different workout types also provides a more varied training that is healthy for the body.
4. Find a balance with healthy eating
Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym (or?). A healthy lifestyle is of course not just about maintaining a good workout routine; a balanced diet is just as important. That doesn’t mean you have to live on tuna and broccoli, but you should avoid processed foods and excessive sugar intake as much as possible. So don’t go to extremes either way, but include a mix of nutritious foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats. But also try to find a balance so you feel you can enjoy the little moments in life, like a coffee break with friends or Saturday candy while watching a good movie on the weekend.
5. Plan healthy recipes for meal prep to reach your goals
If you prepare your meals in advance, you avoid falling for unhealthy options when you’re short on time. Create a weekly menu and meal plan that includes nutritious and simple food to help keep yourself on track. For example, you can make a big batch on Sunday with stews or casseroles that you can easily pack into lunch boxes during the week, or make sure to always cook an extra portion at dinner so you can bring leftovers for a healthy lunch the next day. Here you’ll find our best tips on quick meals perfect for batch cooking and giving you healthy meal prep for a whole month! And here you can find 3 easy recipes for healthy food with potatoes – a very underrated but oh so healthy root vegetable.
Two healthy dinner recipes for weekdays & weekends
But we can’t end our healthy tips without some new recipes for the collection. So here are two of our favorite healthy dinner recipes for both weekdays and weekends. A quick salmon with sesame-fried broccoli and brown rice for weekdays when time is limited, and a luxurious healthy open lasagna for the weekend when you have a bit more time in the kitchen. Both dishes are of course perfect for meal prep during the week too!
Salmon with sesame-fried broccoli & brown rice
You need:
Salmon
Honey
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Lemon juice
Broccoli
Sesame seeds
Brown rice
Creme fraiche
Salt & pepper
How to:
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees
- Cook the brown rice in a pot on low heat
- Mix honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a bowl to make a marinade
- Cut the salmon into portions & mix with the marinade
- Sear the salmon in a frying pan with sesame oil until it gets a crispy surface & then cook in the oven until fully cooked
- Cover the broccoli with sesame seeds & fry in sesame oil
- Serve salmon, broccoli & brown rice on a plate with a dollop of creme fraiche & enjoy!
Open lasagna with almond pesto
Tomato sauce
2 dl crushed tomatoes
1 pressed garlic clove
½ small shallot
Dried oregano
A pinch of chili flakes
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
½ dl water
Pesto
½ dl almonds
25 g butter
1 lemon
½ tsp honey
Mushroom & spinach filling
200 g fresh spinach
250 g mushrooms
½ shallot
1 garlic clove
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Assembly:
½ jar ricotta cheese
Västerbotten cheese
Lasagna sheets
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Tomato sauce: Chop onion & garlic on a cutting board & then sauté in a pan. Add crushed tomatoes, water, chili flakes, oregano, white wine vinegar, salt & pepper & let simmer
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Pesto: Roast the almonds in a frying pan & blend preferably with a vegetable chopper for a quick & smooth pesto texture. Then brown the butter & finely grate the lemon zest. Mix these 3 ingredients with honey & a few drops of lemon in a bowl
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Filling: Fry the mushrooms in a dry pan, add oil when they shrink, season with salt & pepper. Add garlic & onion & sauté. Stir in fresh spinach last & cook until wilted.
- Assembly: Cook the lasagna sheets in salted water in a pot. Place a lasagna sheet on the plate & top with tomato sauce & then another lasagna sheet topped with the spinach filling. Repeat these two layers once more. When you’ve added the last layer of spinach filling, top with ricotta, almond pesto & Västerbotten cheese as a final touch.
@mydorrehome Open lasagna with almond pesto! 🤌 Dinner is saved! 🥫 Almond pesto: ½ dl almonds 25 grams butter 1 lemon ½ tsp honey How to: Roast almonds in a frying pan, preferably use the Loke vegetable chopper from Dorre.se which quickly and easily creates the perfect pesto texture. Brown the butter until it smells caramelized. Wash the lemon and grate the zest, then mix with crushed almonds and butter in a small bowl. Stir in honey and a few drops of lemon. Tomato sauce: 2 dl crushed tomatoes 1 pressed garlic clove ½ small shallot ½ tsp dried oregano pinch of chili flakes 1 tbsp white wine vinegar salt and black pepper about ½ dl water 1 tbsp olive oil How to: Chop onion and garlic into small pieces and sauté in a pan. Stir in crushed tomatoes, a little water, chili flakes, oregano, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Let simmer. Filling: 200 grams fresh spinach 250 grams fresh mushrooms or portobello ½ shallot 1 garlic clove salt and black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil How to: Fry mushrooms in a dry pan, add a little oil when they shrink, salt and pepper. Add onion, garlic and sauté. Stir in fresh spinach. Stir and cook until wilted. Assembly: ½ jar ricotta cheese Västerbotten cheese 4-6 lasagna sheets How to: Cook lasagna sheets in salted water. Place a lasagna sheet on the plate, add tomato sauce, place another lasagna sheet, then add the spinach mixture, repeat. Finish with a dollop of ricotta cheese, almond pesto and Västerbotten cheese! Bon appétit! 🍽️ #foodtips #dinnertips #dinner #recipes ♬ A Moment of Relaxation - Muspace
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