10 Realistic Ways to a Healthy New Year
As New Year resolutions go, a healthier lifestyle is always at the top of everyone’s list. Here are some awesome ideas to get you inspired enough to stay the course and achieve your goals this year.
Eat healthy: Rather than a ‘lose weight’ resolution, think in terms of ‘eat healthier’. It is a more positive agenda and will probably work better for you. Making simple diet changes; cutting back on junk food is definitely a must. But be gentle on yourself and do indulge your cravings occasionally, preferably with low-calorie treats.
Drink healthy: Let water be the beverage of choice. It is a healthier option when compared to other high-calorie drinks. And besides, drinking lots of water is essential to your health.
Think healthy: Thoughts have power! Positive and focused thinking will empower you to reach higher and go further than you ever expected to. So, increase awareness of your thoughts and speech. Avoid dwelling on problems and focus instead on the solutions.
Stay focused: One way to motivate yourself constantly is to write out your health goals for the year and post them in a very visible place. Constant reminders are one way to keep yourself focused.
Schedule appointments: Prevention is better than cure. And this is really true when it comes to good health. Make sure that you schedule all your doctor and dentist appointments, as also annual health checks. Chalk these down to time well spent.
Stop smoking: This is one habit that you need to kick for good. If you have been thinking about quitting, this New Year is the time to refresh your resolve and actually accomplish it. Don’t just make a resolution; follow it up by taking concrete measures and joining a support group if you need to.
Schedule family time: Emotional health is as important as physical health, so spend enough time with friends and family. Make sure you schedule enough quality time with them, even if it is something as simple as going to the park or just sitting around and chatting. Staying close and staying connected makes for happy families and happy people.
Switch off: If you are that person who is constantly being drawn away by the pinging of your phone, you need to reset your relationship with your phone! Focus on the people around you and on the task at hand rather than constantly checking for text messages and emails. You will have a healthier personal and professional life if you can accomplish this one simple change.
Slow down: Make it a daily practice to slow down and take a breather. Spend some quiet time by yourself, reading a book, listening to music or doing yoga. This is a time to detoxify by unwinding and letting go of all the pent-up stress and anxiety.
Think long term: Look at this whole exercise as a long-term project; that will make it easier for you to stay the course all through the year. It will also make it easier to cope with the moments of weakness. You can get back on track without beating yourself up too much over the lapses.
Have a healthy, safe, and a very happy new year. And remember to write in if you have any health tips that you would like to share our readers.
