A dietitian from Mayo Clinic has urged people to reset their eating habits to kickstart the new year.

Andrea Delgado suggests that individuals should remove food in the house they do not need, such as party food leftovers from the festive break.

“What we want to do is, if we have any remaining food items or beverages that lingered after the holidays, we want to get rid of them,” said Andrea.

The dietitian has advised people to either throw away leftovers or consume them in smaller portions.

Andrea said: “We also want to slowly regress back to our old habits. Start introducing vegetables and fruits with most meals.

“We don’t necessarily have to go on a diet. We don’t necessarily have to eliminate all of our foods. We just want to look at the portion sizes and the frequency that we have these foods.”

According to Andrea, people should mainly consume fresh produce, whole grains and lean protein, with an occasional treat every now and then.

She said: “With nutrition, there is no all or nothing.

“We can still enjoy those nice treats, those good desserts, those savoury beverages. It’s all in how much and how often we are having them.”

People can manage their portion control by dividing their plate into three sections: one half of fruit and non-starchy vegetables, one quarter of whole grains and one quarter of protein-rich foods, such as legumes, fish or lean meats.

Experts believe this can also help people make healthier food choices.

Get our free newsletters

Stay up to date with the latest news, research and breakthroughs.