7 Simple Goals to Help You Lose Weight and Get Healthier in 2025

Hey, how were your holidays? If they were anything like mine, it was a paradox: stressful and hectic, yet filled with joy and gratitude. Oh yeah, also filled with empty calories. It’s so hard to resist temptation 100% of the time over the holidays. So, if you’re determined to live your best life starting now, lose weight, stabilize blood sugar levels, minimize pain and inflammation, and feel your best, I’ve got 7 tips for you.

I understand you may think, “Who has the time or the dedication to change 7 habits?” But trust me, the following are manageable and sustainable goals. The common thread is this: getting back to the basics of real food.

Understand the Difference Between Unprocessed, Minimally Processed, and Ultra-Processed Foods

Knowing the difference between these food categories is the foundation of better eating. Why? Ultra-processed foods dominate the American diet and are a major contributor to weight gain and inflammation. In fact, a study published in The BMJ found that ultra-processed foods account for nearly 60% of calories consumed by Americans.

Here’s a breakdown with examples:

• Unprocessed/Natural Foods: Fresh tomatoes, apples, raw almonds, fresh spinach, wild-caught salmon. Basically, anything your great, great grandparents would have eaten.
• Minimally Processed Foods: Tomato paste (rich in lycopene, an antioxidant), frozen berries, roasted nuts, plain Greek yogurt, steel-cut oats.
• Ultra-Processed Foods: Ketchup (loaded with sugar and additives), flavored yogurt (packed with added sugars and syrups), boxed mac and cheese, soda, and packaged cookies.

The key is recognizing where your go-to foods fall on this spectrum and opting for natural or minimally processed options as much as possible.

Understand Why Ultra-Processed Foods Harm Your Health

Ultra-processed foods are more than just empty calories that bloat your belly—they actively harm your body. They’re loaded with synthetic additives, unhealthy fats, and refined sugars. These ingredients are highly inflammatory, disrupt metabolism, and increase your risk of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Food scientists are paid good money to engineer ultra-processed foods to trigger your brain’s reward center. This is why ultra-processed snacks and desserts taste irresistible. There’s a good reason why the slogan “irresistible snacking” was coined by slick advertising agencies. The hyper-palatability of these processed foods makes it harder to stop eating, creating a vicious cycle of overconsumption, according to research in Public Health Nutrition.

Avoid Vegetable and Seed Oils

Oils like canola, soybean, and corn oil are cheap, easy to use, and everywhere. But they’re also highly processed and rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which promote systemic inflammation when consumed in excess. Several studies (like this one) show that chronic inflammation is at the root of many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune conditions. So, switch to healthier fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or grass-fed butter whenever possible.

Learn to Read Nutrition Labels

If you want to avoid ultra-processed foods and inflammatory oils, reading labels is a must. Look out for ingredients like “partially hydrogenated oils,” “high-fructose corn syrup,” and any long chemical names you can’t pronounce. Many seemingly healthy products, like granola bars or salad dressings, are full of hidden sugars and seed oils. A good rule of thumb: If the ingredient list is long and confusing, it’s probably ultra-processed.

Avoid Eating Out

Who doesn’t love to go on a date night whenever possible? Especially if it’s a rare occurrence. (Being the mom of 4 kids, a Nurse Practitioner at a busy ER, and having a side hustle as a health coach/functional medicine practitioner makes date night as rare as a toddler taking a long nap when you actually want them to.

Restaurants often prioritize cost and convenience over quality, using cheap ingredients like canola oil in most dishes. Even hot food bars at health-conscious stores like Whole Foods often use these oils. While eating out is fun and sometimes unavoidable, keeping it to a minimum allows you to control what goes into your meals. Plus, cooking at home saves money and lets you experiment with fresh, wholesome ingredients.

Eat More Filling Lunches and Dinners with Natural Foods

A sandwich for lunch might be quick, but it’s usually not enough to keep you satisfied for hours. Many Americans don’t eat meals that are balanced enough to stabilize blood sugar and prevent cravings. Instead, aim for complete meals with a mix of whole grains, lean proteins, and vegetables. For example, a lunch of grilled chicken, brown rice, and roasted vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil will keep you full longer than a basic turkey sandwich. When you eat nutrient-dense lunches and dinners, you’ll be less tempted to snack on empty calories throughout the day.

Go for a Short Walk After Main Meals

This simple habit is a game-changer. Walking after meals helps stabilize blood sugar levels and improves digestion. Even a quick five-minute stroll can make a noticeable difference. A review in Sports Medicine examined eight trials involving 116 participants (47 with type 2 diabetes and 69 without) and found that exercising after eating significantly reduced blood sugar spikes compared to exercising before eating or not exercising at all. Pre-meal exercise showed no significant benefit over inactivity. The timing of exercise after meals also mattered—closer exercise timing led to greater reductions in post-meal blood sugar levels.

So there you have it, seven goals with big rewards. They’re designed to help you build habits that work with your life, not against it.

If you’re ready to dive deeper and address the root causes of your health concerns, I’d love to help. As a functional medicine practitioner, I offer personalized plans to help you lose weight, minimize pain, and feel your best. Many of my services are covered by insurance, so don’t hesitate to get in touch and take the first step toward a healthier you.

I’m currently accepting new clients at the Diabetes & Wellness Clinic in Norfolk, NE. Schedule an appointment today!