Happy 2026, dear readers. In this issue:

• Resolve to be kinder to yourself

• In with the new you

• Did you know…

• Skinny it down (recipe hack)

Resolve to be kinder to yourself in 2026

It's that auspicious time of the year when we commit to improving something in our lives. I’m all for change for the better, but honestly, resolutions seem to have a short shelf life. Yet year after year, many of us torture ourselves every January 1st to make a resolution or two.

The secret isn't making lofty promises to yourself. It's making small, sometimes imperceptible tweaks that don't require pep talks or accountability partners. Because the best resolution is the one you can keep.

In with the new… you

This year, let's try something radical: skip the resolutions entirely and embrace the art of self-care.

Exercise: Start with what you're already doing

Want to move more? Be realistic. If you’re not an early bird, don't sign up for a 5 AM boot camp that makes you question your life choices. Instead, add movement slowly and consistently:

• Continue with your usual workouts if you have them, but try wrist and/or ankle weights: I wear a weighted vest around the house to make every movement work for me.

• Take the stairs when you can: I found that this gets easier the more you do over time; it’s your cardiovascular system’s way of saying thank you.

• Park farther away: A good way to boost your steps each day. 

• Dance your heart out: I used to do this every night when I got home from work. I felt better and slept better.

• Take a ten-minute walk within 20 minutes after each meal. Aside from the exercise, it can help boost your metabolism.

• Try something new. For instance, I wanted to know why so many people love pickleball. So I borrowed a paddle, took a lesson, and now I'm hooked. I play 3 to 5 hours every week. (And making new friends!)

Related newsletters: These Feet Were Made For Walking, It’s okay to NOT be okay with working out, We all do it. Now, learn to do it better.

Diet: Don’t deny yourself

Eating healthier sounds like a chore until you realize you can add things, rather than take them away. 

• Too hungry to cook? I regularly cook in bulk, especially soups, braised chicken or meat, and pasta sauce. I freeze single servings in reusable ziplock silicone bags.

• Grabbing takeout? Add steamed veggies or a side salad; easy on the dressing.

• Making toast? Top it off with some avocado or banana slices. 

• Drinking coffee or tea? Have a glass of water with it.

• Feeling lazy? Cook your veggies for the week. I often roast a sheet pan of mushrooms, peppers, and onions to use for omelettes, as a topping for chicken or burgers, or add to homemade soup. These freeze well, too. I also steam veggies like green beans and broccoli, and refrigerate in glass food storage containers.

• Want more protein? Add hemp hearts to your food for a complete protein, including your Omegas. There are many dishes this works in: cereals, yogurt, soups and stews, homemade muffins, etc. A friend once asked me if hemp hearts are legal. Yes…it’s available at most grocers!

• Had a “bad” meal? Forget about it! Ideally, we have 21 meals in a week. So if you splurged on something special, you have 20 other meals to eat better.

Related newsletters: Cool Beans, Soup’s On, Thigh High, Second Helpings, Tired of Cooking? Hit the Sheets! The link between food and cognitive health, 

Reading/new skills: Take the time to enjoy

If you want to read more, forget the "52 books in 52 weeks" challenge that feels like a school assignment. Just read one page before bed. That's it. One page. Some nights you'll accidentally read a whole chapter because you got drawn in. Other nights, you'll read your one page and feel victorious. Both count.

The same goes for learning new skills. Not to be a downer, but you’re not going to become fluent in Mandarin in a year at home. I’ve been using Duolingo to learn French, and after two years, I recently had a real conversation with someone from Paris.

Bad habits: “I’m never going to [FILL IN THE BLANK] again!”

Trying to crush a bad habit through sheer willpower is like trying to win an argument with a toddler. It’s technically possible, but why would you do that to yourself? Talk to your medical professional about highly effective ways to put an end to those unwanted habits. 

Also, try crowding out the urges. Want to stop smoking? Take a walk instead of your after-dinner smoke. Addicted to doomscrolling? Put a book on top of your phone before bed. You're not battling your habits; you're just making better ones more convenient.

Organizing: The "good enough" revolution

Want a better way to keep everything in its place? Great. Just remember that this doesn’t need to happen in a day or two…it’s a process:

• Sort: As you go through things, put them into categories like "keep," "donate," or "trash."

• Declutter: Remove the items from your home in the “donate” and “trash” piles. Things will look better by just taking this step.

• Focus on one area at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. I start with something small to stay feeling victorious.

• Use the "one-in, one-out" rule: When you get something new, try to get rid of an item in the same category. 

• Spulge: Consider attractive closet storage to keep things neat and easy to put away.

Did you know…

If you’re craving something and can’t stop thinking about it, just have it! Here’s why…

The stress that food restriction puts on the body triggers cortisol – the fight-or-flight hormone – which also drives cravings for more carbs. And whatever you may eat in place of the food you want may end up costing you more calories than just having what you wanted in the first place.

True story: I had a friend who resisted eating a donut hole (approx. 60 calories) to be “good.” She really wanted it. Instead, she had string cheese and a cup of nonfat strawberry yogurt (about 160 calories total). Healthy, high-protein choices, yes. But after thinking about that forsaken donut hole all day, she ended up eating two.

Skinny it down  

I reduced the saturated fats and calories from one of my favorite pasta dishes, creamy pasta with chickpeas, spinach, and rosemary, from NYT Cooking. You can apply this process to any similar recipe:

• Cut olive oil by 70% (saves about 350 calories)

• Swapped heavy cream for half-and-half + starchy pasta water (saves about 400 calories)

• Reduced Parmesan slightly (saves about 75 calories)

The recipe

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (instead of ¼ cup)

• 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish

• ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)

• Black pepper

• 1 large shallot, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• ½ cup half-and-half or light cream

• 1 cup pasta cooking water* (instead of 1 cup heavy cream)

• 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach

• 12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini

• ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan (instead of ½ cup)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

In a wide, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chickpeas, rosemary, and Aleppo pepper, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas start to caramelize and pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about half the chickpeas to a bowl. Reserve for garnish.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the half-and-half and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the pasta until a couple of minutes short of al dente according to package instructions, about 5 minutes. Do not drain the pasta, but using tongs, transfer the pasta and ½ cup of pasta water from the pot to the spinach and cream sauce. Add 1 cup of pasta cooking water and the Parmesan, and cook over medium-high, stirring vigorously with the tongs, until the sauce thickens and the noodles are al dente, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen sauce, if needed.

*The pasta water will help create a silky sauce while adding body without the calories. You could go even lighter by using whole milk instead of half-and-half, or add more spinach/veggies to increase volume.

We look forward to building this tapestry of experiences with you.