UPDATE: Giveaway is closed. The winner is Heather!

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At the beginning of every year, I like to create a one-word theme or mantra. Previous ones have included peace, balance, and French ? (see my previous posts on being and eating “French”)

If you don’t have a word-of-the-year, may I suggest “vitality”? Vitality conveys energy, spirit, and purpose.

In her book “Younger Next Week”, my colleague Elisa Zied MS, RD, CDN explains how to get that vitality, look and feel younger through diet (“Vital Foods”) and movement (“Vital Moves”), among other vital components of her plan. Elisa, at 44 years young, knows what it’s like to be a stressed mother, wife, and dietitian, what she’s named her “post-traumatic forty disorder”, and can commiserate with you about low energy, sleep troubles, and the need for a diet soda fix. A 2012 survey by the American Psychological Association found that not only do 34-45% of US women feel fatigued and overwhelmed by stress, but 46% also cope with this stress through unhealthy eating habits such as overeating or unhealthy food choices. With these stats, I’m sure at least half of you are nodding your head as you relate to how stress takes its toll on you and your good diet intentions.

Elisa’s goal with her latest book is to help you “recapture your youthful, energetic, positive spirit”. Don’t worry—this is NOT a diet. It’s a flexible, realistic plan that will help you make small changes to reduce your stress (real or perceived), create healthful coping habits, eat in a way that makes you feel good (and slows aging!), and take better care of yourself.

Take note of these not-so-helpful coping habits and how they make you look and feel older than you are:

• Overeating: shortens telomeres, raises cortisol levels and blood sugar, promotes premature facial aging
• Cravings: high-fat/sugar/salt intake promotes formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which create inflammation and oxidative stress
• Dieting: restriction and rigidity leads to stress and anxiety
• Nighttime eating: poor sleep quality, negative effects on glucose metabolism
• Yo-yo dieting: loss of elastin in skin leading to sagging and drooping
• Alcohol: promotes fine lines and wrinkles
• Caffeine: dehydrates skin, prevents cell regeneration

In her “Vitality Program”, Elisa encourages her readers to turn to knife and fork instead of to the scalpel. She has reviewed the research for you and lays out simple guidelines with the WHYS behind it all. From “The Body’s Energizer Bunnies” to antioxidants, and a good belly laugh, you will find out what these do for your body and recommendations on how to incorporate these into your day.

To wrap up her Vitality Plan and help you regain your vitality TODAY, Elisa provides 30 recipes and a 7-day meal plan. Here is one of my favorite recipes from her book (reprinted with permission):

Beet and Carrot Salad

Ingredients

• Salad
  • 2 large carrots, peeled
  • 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• Dressing
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

•  Using a handheld box grater or the shred blade on a food processor, shred the beets and carrots. Place the shredded beets and carrots, walnuts, shallots, and chives in a large bowl and mix well.
• In a small bowl, mix together the rice vinegar, garlic, and mustard. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream and whisk until it has emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper and then pour it over the beet-carrot mixture and mix well.

You: Younger Next Week GIVEAWAY

Do you want your own copy of Younger Next Week? Elisa is offering a copy to one lucky reader!

To enter to win:

• Comment below with your word-of-the-year OR why you want to win Elisa’s book
• Follow me on Twitter and comment that you did so
• Like me on Facebook and comment that you did so

A winner will be randomly drawn on Friday January 17. If I don’t hear from you within 24 hours, a new winner will be drawn. Giveaway open to US residents.

Good luck and here’s to a younger you!