10 easy resolutions you can make to be healthier
The air is crisp and filled with snow…
There are holiday songs everywhere, and people start to both reminisce about the year that’s ending while looking forward with hope toward the one about to begin. One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to get healthier. But for so many of us, it’s the one big challenge that falls apart before the confetti, and party hats are cleaned up and put away.
Here are ten things you can do for a healthier you in 2020:
1. Get some sleep.
Turn off the TV and smartphone before you go to bed to allow yourself to start relaxing before your head hits the pillow. This might be the hardest resolution to keep and the one that’s easiest to make excuses for not following, but our bodies recharge and repair while we sleep. Get more rest, feel better, and ready to accomplish more in your waking hours.
2. Be aware of what you’re eating and why.
Don’t just graze all day or snack when you’re bored. Sit down and taste your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. This not only could help you make different food choices but eating most slowly also gives your brain time to recognize when your stomach is full and helps cut back on extra calories.
3. Drink that water.
Ideally, we should drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water daily. There are many reasons to reach for a glass: keeping hydrated helps the body function properly; hydrated skin looks healthier; drinking water can help keep you feeling fuller longer after eating and between meals. This is also a relatively easy resolution to keep, simply by picking up a reusable water bottle and filling it — and drinking it — throughout the day.
4. Get moving.
If you’ve got a desk job, it might be surprising to see how few steps you get in during the day. Move just a little bit more and reap the benefits! Taking a short walk can help keep you energized and awake. It can help improve blood circulation, and it’ll burn off calories.
5. Cut back on sugar.
This isn’t to say that you should drop all sweet things immediately, but try to eliminate added sugars here and there. Eventually, your taste preferences will change, and you’ll find yourself craving sweets less and less.
6. Give yourself a time out.
We get breaks at work to step away from our responsibilities and relax a little. Make sure you take them! But take them at home, too, and you’ll reduce your stress levels while boosting mental clarity.
7. Eat your greens!
And oranges and reds and yellows. Adding a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables to your meals will boost your nutrition and add variety to your plates.
8.When it doubt, sweat it out.
If you’re feeling stressed or tense, find a fitness class or app and spend 30 minutes getting your heart pumping. Exercise helps boost healthy hormones that help bring stress levels down. It can also help get out that aggression, so you’re not so tense!
9. Call those old friends more often.
Reconnecting with people reminds us of good times, helps us feel like we’re part of something, and also helps release those happy chemicals in our brains. Plus, it doesn’t cost a dime.
10. If at first, you don’t succeed, try again tomorrow.
So many people feel they’ve failed and give up entirely if they don’t stick to a healthier diet all day, or if they indulge two days during a week. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good! Just try to do better tomorrow.
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy 2020!
If your New Year’s Resolutions involve other ways of looking for feeling better, contact us! We’re standing by ready to help you feel your best, with a variety of treatments and services to brighten your skin, reduce the signs of aging, and help you look as good as you feel.
