It’s nearly time to ring in the new year again! It sure seems like these years go by faster and faster, don’t they? With the onset of a new year comes the New Year’s Resolutions. In January, ambitions are high and people are once again on a quest to be healthy and set goals accordingly. Most of the time, these goals are lofty and resolutions are dropped rather quickly. The important thing when making a resolution is to make sure that your expectations are realistic. Strive for small lifestyle changes that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
Here are 5 Healthy New Year’s Resolutions that you should be able to keep:
- Balance – Sticking to a fad diet is just that, a fad. They are trendy and hard to maintain. Instead, when it comes to diet and exercise, think about your daily food intake and exercise as an equation that you want to keep balanced. If you are trying to lose some weight, eat a little less and work out more! Balancing your energy equation is what it’s all about.
- Eat the rainbow – Make sure your diet includes plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables. If you struggle with this, strive to gradually add them into your day. Try out some new foods and you may be pleasantly surprised about what you end up liking! Incorporate a daily smoothie, which is a simple way to get in a lot of fruits and veggies at once. We have shared smoothie recipes here, try one!
- Exercise – More exercise probably makes everyone’s list each year. The key is to make small changes if you are not currently on an exercise regiment. Try getting in 20-30 minutes a day at first and gradually increase your time as you can. Tennis, soccer leagues, and participating in races, to name a few, all count for physical activity! So if the gym is not your thing, find some alternative fun activities that still get you moving.
- Get more sleep – Turn off the television or put down that iPad or iPhone 30-45 minutes sooner than normal and see if you can get that much more sleep each night. Sleep is so important for all around good health, so make sure and make it a priority. How hard can this resolution be, right? Everyone wants more sleep!!
- Drink plenty of water – We already know this is important, but truly this habit can be easily neglected. Sodas and juice sometimes take priority. If you struggle to get water in during the day, try drinking a glass or water first thing in the morning and right before you go to bed at night. This will automatically give you 2 additional glasses that you normally wouldn’t drink. Keep a water bottle with you and refill it throughout the day.
Remember, it’s about creating habits that you can keep and not setting goals that are unattainable. Little changes made on a daily basis can make a difference! Take it one day at a time and if you go astray for a day or two, don’t fret, just get back on track. So this year, when you are making your New Year’s resolutions, consider these 5 healthy ones that can make a big difference in your overall health and well-being!
Cheers to 2015!
What resolutions are you setting for this year?
