(Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

PARKERSBURG — As the new year begins, many people mark the transition with long-standing food traditions while also setting practical goals tied to health, eating habits and daily routines.

For Ingrid Dengra, who grew up in the Catalonia region of Spain and now lives in Parkersburg, New Year’s Eve still includes a familiar ritual: eating 12 grapes at midnight.

In Spain, the tradition involves consuming one grape with each chime of the clock to represent the months of the coming year. The practice is believed to bring good luck if completed before the final bell.

“It’s fast, and you really have to pay attention,” Dengra said. “Everyone’s focused on the clock, and no one’s talking, but we laugh the whole time.”

While once largely limited to Spain, the grape tradition has gained wider attention in the U.S. in recent years. Dengra said she has noticed variations circulating online, including people eating the grapes under the table for added luck — something she did not grow up with.

“I never heard of that part until recently,” she said.

Food-centered customs tied to luck and prosperity appear in many cultures around the New Year.

Parkersburg resident Sean Rott said cabbage has long been part of his family’s New Year’s meals, which both his German and Hungarian sides of the family use as a tradition. Rott said that his family associates cabbage and sauerkraut with good luck in the New Year.

“My dad always talked about how my grandpa would sometimes hide a coin in the cabbage,” Rott said. “He said whoever found it would have way better luck than everybody else for the next year.”

Danielle Hecker, originally from Marietta and now living in Texas, said her family continues the Italian tradition of serving cotechino con lenticchie, a sausage and lentil dish, on New Year’s Eve. Hecker stated the lentils are commonly associated with financial stability.

“It’s filling, it’s simple, and it’s something you expect to see on the table,” Hecker said. “It’s a family meal, so we like the excuse to get everyone together to eat, but usually we try to, you know, eat healthier in the New Year.”

Beyond what’s on the table, the start of January is also a time when many people reevaluate their routines — particularly when it comes to fitness and diet.

Bob Ellenwood, owner of Ellenwood Extreme Fitness, said the gym typically sees increased interest early in the year, though he cautions against viewing fitness as a short-term resolution.

“I want people here because they want to be here, not just because it’s January,” Ellenwood said.

Ellenwood said he begins by asking clients what they want to achieve — whether that’s improving endurance, gaining strength or feeling more comfortable with daily physical activity — and then building a plan around those goals.

“One of the first things I tell people is that the scale doesn’t always tell the truth,” he said. “If you’re losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time, the numbers might not change much, but you’re still making progress.”

Instead, he said he encourages people to track changes through consistency, strength gains, energy levels and how their clothes fit.

Ellenwood also said diet changes are often part of early-year goals, but he advises moderation rather than strict rules.

“I tell people to eat clean most of the week, but give yourself one day where you don’t worry about it,” he said. “After a while, your body usually tells you what works and what doesn’t.”

He said many people are surprised to find that heavily processed foods affect their energy and digestion once they have adjusted to more balanced meals.

“Eventually, they don’t even want the junk as much,” Ellenwood said. “Not because I tell them not to eat it, but because they don’t like how it makes them feel.”

Ellenwood said consistency is more important than intensity, particularly for people returning to exercise after time away.

“Two days a week is basically maintenance,” he said. “If you really want to see change, you’ve got to be consistent and give your body time to adapt.”

He also emphasized starting gradually, allowing muscles time to recover, and focusing on sustainable routines rather than trying to do too much at once.

“A lot of people think something should happen immediately,” he said. “That’s where frustration comes in. This is something you build.”

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com