Blog written by Dietitian & Nutritionist Helena
2025 is the year we leave behind unhelpful new years resolutions focused on dieting and weight loss, and instead put our energy into building healthy, sustainable habits that make you feel good and perform at your best. So here are five dietitian approved ways to level up your lifestyle so that you can have your best year yet.
1. Creatine
You heard it here first, creatine is THE supplement you need to know about in 2025. It’s one of the most researched supplements out there, and has benefits for just about everyone.
If you regularly exercise, creatine essentially gives your body more energy, so you can get more out of your workout. This could translate into lifting heavier at the gym, or getting faster in your sprint intervals, which means you get stronger, faster and fitter.
Not a gym goer? Well, creatine is still worth your time. More evidence is accumulating demonstrating that it can improve your mood, help with cognition (like memory and attention), support better sleep, and possibly benefit bone strength.
Ready to try it? Macro Mike’s pre workout supplement contains 3g of creatine per 20g (4 scoops), which is a good dose for most people. Just note that this product also contains caffeine, so if you’re sensitive, start with a smaller amount. PSST! Creatine is coming soon to the Macro Mike Performance Range. Stay tuned on the 19th February at 6pm for this drop!
Creatine is best absorbed with carbs and protein, which leads me on to the next IN...
2. Fuelling Your Workout
If you’re not eating before your workout, you’re not performing at your best! If you only have a short window of time before your workout (e.g. training first thing in the morning), then focus on an easily digested form of carbs for a quick boost of energy e.g. a banana, white toast with jam, crumpet with honey or a few medjool dates.
If you’ve go a bit longer (e.g. enough time to eat and digest a meal), you still want to mostly focus on carbs for energy, but adding protein will go a long way in keeping you satiated, and supporting your muscles. Go for something that won’t sit too heavily in your stomach. Mix protein powder into a banana smoothie, porridge or overnight oats or overnight weetbix for a simple, delicious option that will keep you well fuelled.
3. Simple Meals
We’re all busier than ever, and honestly, I just want my meals to be as fuss free as possible. Eating well really doesn’t have to be complicated and there are so many ways to make it easier and more convenient. There’s just one golden rule to remember – make sure you have a source of protein, carbs, healthy fats, and veggies or fruit. This is the magic formula for fullness, satisfaction, stable energy and stable blood sugar. Practise using this method at breakfast – my all time favourite is a scoop of vanilla buttercream protein powder (protein, duh) with ½ cup oats (carbs), almond butter (healthy fats) and raspberries (fruit). It takes no time to make and is the perfect balance to keep you energised all morning.
4. Sweet Treats
I’m a dietitian, and I live and breathe a healthy lifestyle. And, I also eat dessert every day. I’d go as far as calling it a non negotiable for me. Because the thing is, for your diet to be truly healthy and sustainable, its essential to include your favourite foods – otherwise you’ll get sick of it pretty quickly and revert right back to a restrictive all or nothing mentality. That cycle is OUT for 2025!
If most of the time you’re fuelling well with nutrient dense whole foods, the occasional sweet treat doesn’t take away from that, and simply adds to your quality of life. I recommend prioritising your main meals first, and pairing treats with whole foods (e.g. a few squares of chocolate WITH a balanced snack like fruit and yoghurt), so that you’re physically satiated and less likely to be driven to keep going back for more.
I love having healthier versions of my favourite desserts, and fortunately Macro Mike has us covered. The limited edition birthday cake range is my top pick for some seriously delicious treats – the muffin baking mix is really fun when you’re in the mood for something homemade (but without the hassle of buying all the ingredients), and the protein indulgence balls are next level. Plus, the added protein makes them even more satisfying.
Please note though, while healthy versions of things can be delicious, it’s also absolutely okay to have the real thing when you’re craving it. All food can fit into a healthy diet.
5. Plant Based Food
You don’t have to go fully vegan (unless you want to!), but simply taking a more plant forward approach is SO GOOD for you. Usually this goes hand in hand with eating more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and legumes, which means you get a broader range of nutrients, protect your cells from damage, support a thriving gut microbiome, improve your mental wellbeing, and reduce your risk of long-term diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Such a big win.
If you’re worried about where you’ll get protein from on a plant based diet – don’t stress! It’s easy to hit your protein target if you’re including things like protein powder, tofu, tempeh, edamame, chickpeas, lentils, soy milk and products like pulse pasta and high protein breads.
Ease in with small changes, like having meat-free Mondays, or getting on board with veganuary, or just making your breakfast plant based. Everyone is different, so find an approach that works for you.
There are so many ways to make health-forward changes to your lifestyle, so hopefully this has given you a few ideas. And if you’re already doing all of these things, that’s amazing! Reflect on whether there are any other areas where you’d like to make changes, and if so, create a plan of attack.
In general, you’re way more likely to have success if you think about positive changes to introduce, rather than things you need to cut out or stop. For example, if your goal is to eat less processed food, you could reframe this into a goal like eating five serves of vegeables per day and thirty different plant foods per week – this shift in thinking gets you focusing on what you CAN do, rather than what you can’t, and reinforces actionable steps.
Another good strategy is to integrate new habits into your existing routine. For example, if you want to start taking creatine, you could make a plan to take it with your breakfast and even store it with your other breakfast ingredients so that it’s easier to remember to take it consistently.
Most importantly, remember that you have to ENJOY your healthy lifestyle, and you can take your time making changes. There’s no point going hard with restrictive or overly ambitious new habits if you just burn out and end back at square one again. Consistency and knowing the deeper purpose behind your goals is key. So here’s to a happy, healthy and delicious 2025!
Hi, I'm Helena! Dietitian, nutritionist and plant-forward eater providing tailored nutrition services to women navigating their gestational diabetes and postpartum journey.
Instagram: @nutrition.by.helena
Website: https://nutritionbyhelena.com/