Kelly Ripa's Nutritionist Doesn't Want You to Give Up the Foods You Love

OK, let's be real: Those New Year's resolutions you set two months ago, how are those really going?

If you find that some of your goals may have fallen by the wayside (slowly raises hand), don't beat yourself up. You're not alone. In fact, only one percent of people say their resolutions last the full year, according to a 2023 survey by Forbes Health/OnePoll. 

It's a pattern celebrity nutritionist Dr. Daryl Gioffre has seen when it comes to people wanting to make changes to what they eat. 

"It becomes really hard because most people try to do this new lifestyle by deprivation," he explained to E! News in an exclusive interview. "It's a perfect example with January. It's like we go from one extreme over the holidays to January 1, and everyone makes these New Year's resolutions."

However, Gioffre says focusing on what to cut out of your diet isn't the right approach and instead encourages people to consider what they can add.

"It's not about giving up the things that you love," he continued. "It's about finding better versions. It's not about deprivation, it's about moderation."

Because as Gioffre put it, people need to meet themselves where they're at—a lesson he learned from his longtime client Kelly Ripa.

"Kelly made me realize that we have to fit a healthy lifestyle into our lifestyle," he noted, "not the other way around."

So how can you make tweaks to the foods you already love? Keep reading for some of Gioffre's favorite swaps.

If you love chocolate…

Don't worry, Gioffre isn't telling you to give up chocolate altogether. Instead, he asks you to consider what kind of chocolate you're eating.

"When you have milk chocolate," he shares, "the better version would be 100 percent dark chocolate." 

Why? As Gioffre notes, milk chocolate has more sugar and dairy than dark chocolate. 

And if you're really looking for extra credit, reach for cacao, which Gioffre describes as an "unrefined version of chocolate" that is high in minerals like mood-boosting magnesium.

If you love fruit juice…

With the sugar content in some fruit juices drawing comparisons to the totals that can be found in sodas, Gioffre recommends giving fruit-infused water a try.

"We add lemons, and limes, and cucumbers, and grapefruit and will basically let the water just infuse into that," he says. "So it gives it that hint of nice fruity flavor to it but without the sugar."

However, the "best" alternative in Gioffre's opinion is a green juice full of nutrients. The Get Off Your Sugar author recommends drinking one packed with vegetables like spinach, sprouts and celery juice. He says he'll also include ginger for gut health and turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties.

And while Gioffre again suggests steering clear of green juices that can contain sugary fruit juices, he's all for adding in whole fruits like cucumbers for hydration or green apples and pears for sweetness. 

"Fruit itself is amazing," he said. "It's what I call nature's candy."

If you love fries… 

For the salt girlies, Gioffre recommends that you make fries with purple potatoes instead of white potatoes.

After all, purple potatoes have several benefits—with a UC Davis Health piece noting they're "rich in antioxidants including anthocyanins" and Gioffre saying "they're a great source of fiber."

"What we'll do is we'll slice them into the shape of French fries so they look the same," he said. "We'll bake them in the oven either with some coconut oil or some olive oil and some Himalayan salt. And I'm telling you, these taste so good, you think you're cheating."

Looking for other nutritious eats to fuel your next Neflix binge? Keep reading to check out how stars like Kate Hudson, Whitney Port and Naomi Osaka satisfy their cravings. 

"Fruit and raw nuts. Recently I've made an effort to keep lost of fresh products and nuts on hand for snacking in-between meals."

"I am snacking so much while I've been at home! I think it's because I'm home and near my fridge all day. I slice up an apple and it fills me up between meals. I love the satisfying crunch and so do my kids."

"My go-to snack is canned oysters. I know that might sound weird, but I am absolutely obsessed with canned oysters. They are such a good source of protein, magnesium and vitamin C. They are so tasty and always fill me up. I eat them straight out of the can, but sometimes if I want some extra carbs, I'll eat them with crackers and the crunch of the cracker with the soft oyster is so good!"

"Cheese and crackers."

"Green apples with peanut butter."

"Carrots and hummus is always a fave with a handful of raw almonds and/or cashews."

"I always have a cup of fruit near me, usually with grapes or berries. For drinks, I like homemade green juice. I mix in BODYARMOR Lyte, Coconut for some sweetness and flavor without having to worry about sugar."

"Handfuls of roasted, unsalted almonds, a slice of sourdough bread with cashew butter and sliced bananas, a smoothie (mine usually have whole milk Greek yogurt, ice, a handful of spinach, some pineapple, whatever milk I have (right now it is Forager Coconut Cashew Oat), a banana, half an avocado, two dates, a dash of cinnamon( and sometimes a scoop of nut butter)."

"Hot Cheetos and fruit with tajin and lemon, yummy!"

"Raw macadamia nuts."

"FRUIT. I can't think of a more perfect food."

"Cheese and crackers with lots of cheese."

"Pretzels and salt & vinegar chips."

"Avocado with salt. It's the right amount of indulgent with being super easy to make. If I have more time I'll add a poached egg with a smidge of hot sauce from Big Reds."

"Apples and peanut butter BUT not just your average apples and peanut-butter, folks. There is a science to this special snack. First, they have to be honeycrisp apples, cut very thin. Then you get your peanut butter, melt it, add some honey and stir all the deliciousness together! This creates almost like a caramel consistency. You don't use nearly as much peanut butter AND you avoid getting it on your thumb every time you dip. Brilliant, I KNOW!"

"Popcorn because I love the salt. But I don't feel terrible after I eat it because popcorn is pretty light!"

"My go-to snack at the moment is going to sound so strange: I like to take a flour tortilla with salted butter melted in a pan and then I top it with Nutella. I know it's weird! LOL, it's honestly like an easier version of a crêpe and that's why I love it."

"Prosciutto and mozzarella cheese is my favorite snack, I have it almost everyday."

"Half and avocado with a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of lemon and a dash of truffle salt. Extremely satisfying."

"I wish I could say it was something healthy but I'm a child at heart and it's by far Flavor Blasted Goldfish. LOL!"

"Apples and peanut butter."