Many people set goals for the new year to lose weight, eat healthier, or start the latest trending diet, including lists of foods to cut out or avoid. This year consider an approach different from a temporary diet or short-term program by doing something for more than a few weeks while also improving health and weight.

While there is nothing wrong with a diet for a couple of weeks or 30 days, dietary changes that will positively impact weight and overall health require eating better well past a month of restrictions.

Sometimes you will hear that “fresh is best,” referring to fruits and vegetables. When I tell people to eat more fruits and vegetables, I say that I encourage various colors regardless of fresh, frozen, or canned.

There are more benefits than pitfalls, but juice’s high-calorie content can trump it all if you consume too much. Even with all of the nutrients in the juice, the calories can be just too much. Even if you are making it yourself, the calories are still higher in the juice than its whole fruit or vegetable counterpart.

We hear a lot about sodium. We get too much, and we need to cut back; processed foods and restaurant foods are high in sodium. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommend that we limit “Sodium—Less than 2,300 milligrams per day—and even less for children younger than age 14.”