Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Every Saturday Yemi writes on the Stray Ferret about her love of the area’s food and shares cooking tips – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

Many of us have a love-hate relationship with the word 'diet' for different reasons. 

In 1997, when I moved to the UK, it was the height of Slimming World, Rosemary Conley and other food magazines advising you of what to eat and not eat.

There were features on snacks under 50 calories, lunch under 350 calories and meal plans designed to deliver 1000 to 1250 calories per day to help you lose weight faster.

Despite being a size 12, I managed to convince myself that I needed to be thinner because it was all I saw and heard. It’s no surprise that on the other side of our obsession with size, food and weight loss is the increased risk of eating disorders and abuse of weight loss medications.

Each new year, we are bombarded with content about healthy eating, exercise and gym memberships.

Many people make resolutions that they are unable to keep, and they end up beating themselves by making more poor choices since they already failed at the start.

A work colleague joked about being on a 'see food diet' because they found themself eating anything in sight. With leftover Christmas food, chocolate tins, cheese and biscuits, many of us are doing exactly that at home and find we are eating simply because of access and boredom.

So, should we embrace the concept of a 'new year-new diet' or should we repair our relationships with food and never need to go on a diet?

I am opting for the latter this year to save me money, time, and stress.

We should enjoy eating and food should make us feel good physically, emotionally and mentally which means we need to see food as a friend and not a foe. 

Let's make this the year where food becomes our medicine by eating for optimal health and not societal standards. Here are some tips for your new food philosophy.

Re-define food as a friend

Everything is fine in moderation and when nothing is off bounds, there is less reason to abuse anything. It is okay to over-indulge; when this happens, don’t make it a reason to give up and punish yourself with more poor choices.

Take control

Stop letting society define what or who you should look like. Trust your body to do that. It tells you when it is full, bloated, tired, and weak. It tells you when it is deficient and prone to infections; it tells you when it needs more water or more rest. It tells you when the weight is too much for the joints to bear.

Let’s make this year that we love ourselves enough to listen to our bodies and minds because we are worth it. Keeping any promises you make to yourself is the beginning of self respect and the result of self-worth.

Keep hydrated

If you struggle to remember to drink enough water, there's a few things that can help. 

Firstly, make sure it's always easily accessible - carrying a water bottle with you could encourage you to keep sipping throughout the day.

Replace canned drinks and fruit juices with eating water dense fruits and vegetables like cucumber, pineapple, and watermelon.

I don’t like the taste of plain water, so I add a few slices of lemon, few drops of apple cider vinegar or some fruit slices. 

Mindful eating

Take time to notice - and enjoy - the flavour and texture of your food and enjoy the experience by slowing down to chew and mull over how it feels in your mouth. 

Using meal times to connect with yourself and others, rather than looking at a screen, is another way of making cooking and eating more special.

Make snack time a smart time

We are prone to throwing caution to the wind during our snack times and this is where smart planning comes in. 

Make alternative snacks that will satisfy your cravings while giving you nutritional value, or prep your snacks for the day to avoid reaching for something that won't give you long-term satisfaction.

I keep a boiled egg ready if I am working from home and it’s the first thing I reach for when I feel peckish. Prep some berries or vegetables sticks and hummus, and that could satisfy both sweet and savoury cravings you have.

Optimise your weekly shopping

Use your weekly shopping process as your ally - shop on a full stomach and you are less likely to buy unhealthy foods. 

Always shop with a list based on meal plans for the week, and you could save some money and reduce food waste. 

Move your body in ways that make you happy

The NHS advises that adults who are able to aim for 50 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.

That might look different for everybody - but however you do it, move your body in ways that bring you joy. If you can, getting daily fresh air can make a big difference too. Invite friends and family members along to make it more fun.

Eat the rainbow

My last tip is to eat the rainbow by getting as many colours of fresh Ingredients as possible into each meal. 

Use a range of herbs and spices to bring in more flavour and colours to your dishes. Saffron or turmeric will bring the perfect colour to your potatoes or rice dishes. 

Beet purée or spinach will transform pasta to little beauties and roasted beets or carrots will elevate your hummus.

Yemi's verdict

I hope you join me in re-building our relationship with food and helping the next generation to live their best lives.