Achievable new year’s resolutions for a healthier living
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December 27, 2021
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January 2022 is more than just the first month of a new year—it’s a chance to start fresh, rethink your approach to wellness, and instill your life with a new sense of purpose. We're still navigating our way out of the global coronavirus pandemic, so looking after yourself has never been more important. And there’s no better time to welcome the New Year with a renewed passion for your wellbeing then now!
Let's face it, no one sticks to their new year resolutions, and this is true for both personal and professional life. This year, instead of making unrealistic resolutions that you'll probably break within the first few days, make a resolution to have an improved overall health and stay active. You can't gain your health in a single leap, but you can make significant progress by taking small steps. Let's move toward a healthier, happier you, with these achievable new year’s resolutions.
Prioritize your health screenings
Open your calendar or planner and make your appointments for the year in one sitting — not only will you get the anxiety-inducing process over with, but you will less likely skip them when life gets busy. It will also act as an added motivation to start the year with a fresher outlook on health.
Start with your healthcare provider, and ask which screenings (e.g., mammogram, colonoscopy) you're due for. Slot those in, then move on to other preventive health checks according to your age group.
Walk, walk, and walk
The magic number for losing weight and preventing type 2 diabetes is 10,000 steps per day or about five miles. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park a few blocks away from work or fast-walk a few laps around the office/home premises.
Don't have the time to walk all the way? Just 2,000 steps per day can make a big difference. Once you've reached 2,000, add another 2,000 and keep walking.
Exercise while you brush
Lift one leg up while brushing your teeth. Count backwards from 60. Reverse the process with the opposite leg. This simple exercise not only improves your balance, which is important for avoiding falls as you age, but it also ensures that you brush for the recommended two minutes.
Take a deep breathing break.
When your job or any tasks are driving you insane, find a quiet place, close your eyes, and count from zero to 10, taking one deep breath for each number. Constantly feeling angry and pissed off can lead to less than desirable long-term effects on your holistic health. When you take deep breaths, your heart does not have to work as hard, and your mind is too focused to race. It will help your mind and body relax.
Reboot your workouts
Instead of aiming to go to the gym five nights a week, find a routine that works for you. Determine your goal: whether you want to gain muscle mass, improve flexibility, or burn fat. Set a new workout regime based on your specific goal, and make sure they are ones you enjoy so that you will keep coming back.
Pay attention to our immune system
Give your immune system a helping hand in 2022 by eating a more varied diet, sleeping well, and getting your daily dose of vitamin D. Our immune systems are complex and influenced by many factors, but making small tweaks can give your body the boost it needs.
Regulate your sleep
Try going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning. Regulating your sleep patterns in this way will program your body for success, giving you the rest you need to get through the rest of the year.
Getting your health in order is something that should be a top priority every year. And New Year’s Resolutions are a great way to start fresh. Healthy habits are not created overnight, but small changes do add up over time and eventually become big lifestyle changes.