The 3 Health Promises I’m Making To Myself in 2026 (And You’re Welcome To Join Me)
Welcome to 2026
I’m going to be honest, I am very glad 2025 is over.
Towards the end of last year, my health took strain. I could see it in my skin first. That usual glow? Gone. My energy dipped, my recovery felt slower, and I knew I was running on empty.
And here’s the thing, I know better.
I’m a dietitian. I have the tools, the knowledge, the data… and yet I still fell into the same patterns so many of us do.
Every January starts the same way:
Big plans. Fresh motivation. “This year will be different.”
And then real life kicks in; work, kids, travel, stress, and suddenly all good intentions fall away.
As the saying goes: you can’t do the same things and expect different results.
So this year, instead of doing more, I’ve chosen to do only 3 things consistently and realistically.
If I were advising myself as a patient, this is exactly where I’d start.
1. I’m committing to at least 2 cups of vegetables a day
More is always better, but when life gets busy, vegetables are the first thing to disappear.
So instead of aiming for perfection, I’m aiming for minimums that move the needle.
Here’s how I’m making it doable:
– Adding sliced tomato, cucumber or lettuce inside sandwiches & wraps
– Throwing a handful of spinach or frozen veg into eggs, pasta or rice
– Keeping cut-up veggies in the fridge so they’re ready to grab
– Adding veg to snacks (hummus + carrots, cottage cheese + cherry tomatoes)
– Choosing one meal a day where veg is the focus, not the side
Small changes. Big impact, especially for gut health, inflammation and skin.
2. I’m prioritising better blood sugar balance
This is my biggest personal health focus.
I know this because I check my blood sugar regularly and occasionally wear a continuous glucose monitor. When my levels swing between extreme highs and lows over a few days, I feel it immediately:
– Exhaustion
– Brain fog
– Cravings
– Poor sleep
Even as a dietitian, I still fall into patterns that don’t serve me, and that’s important to say out loud.
Here’s something many people don’t realise:
There are over 30 factors that affect blood sugar, not all of them are food.
Some of the biggest ones include:
– Stress & cortisol levels
– Poor or short sleep
– Caffeine (especially on an empty stomach)
– Dehydration
– Hormonal changes
– Menstrual cycle, perimenopause & menopause
– Illness or inflammation
– Skipping meals
– Lack of movement (or too much intense training)
So if blood sugar is something you want to work on this year, be kind to yourself.
It’s not about “willpower” – it’s about understanding the full picture.
3. I’m supporting my body before I burn out
This year, I’m focusing on proactive support, not damage control.
That means prioritising the foundations:
- Staying well hydrated (especially during busy periods or travel)
- Supporting micronutrient status consistently
- Helping my body manage stress before symptoms appear
In 2026, I’ll also be adding NAD+ to my health and supplement regime – a key focus for supporting cellular energy, resilience and healthy ageing. This is where nutrition, targeted supplementation and IV therapy work synergistically, supporting energy, immunity, skin health and recovery in ways that food alone sometimes can’t.
Keep an eye out for my next newsletter, where I’ll be diving deeper into NAD+ and why it’s on my radar for 2026.
Two Easy, Nourishing Recipes for 2026
If there’s one takeaway for 2026, it’s this:
Health doesn’t need to be extreme to be effective. It needs to be consistent.
Here’s to doing things differently – realistically, compassionately, and sustainably.
Yours in health
Leigh-Ann
