New Year, New You! Resolve to have better health!

While we have shared several ideas for how to keep your New Year’s Resolution on track in two recent blogs, we thought we would take it one step further. While one shares how morning workouts can help you keep your resolutions and the other gives tips on how to eat more healthy foods, this blog will outline ways to not only change what you are eating and how you exercise but also how you treat your mind and body. Resolutions entail changing something for the better and, generally speaking, most resolutions involve a healthier, happier you. While many of us have the best intentions to keep our resolutions, by January 15^th we have dropped the enthusiasm for our goals and fallen back into the slump.

Get up and fight for your healthy year! Here are 5 Great Resolutions:

1. Stress Less—We all have stress in our lives but how we handle the stress is what matters. Do you bottle it up? Redirect it towards others? Even if you choose to live with stress and believe you can handle it, eventually it’s going to show its ugly head. Did you resolve to stress less this year for the benefit of your personal relationships or your health? Check out this step-by-step tool
   

   Make a resolution this year? Consider adding these 5 ideas!

   from Whole Living to learn how you can take a look at a situation and find a solution rather than stress.

2. Eat Well—Too many people make resolutions to begin a diet that is strict and nearly impossible to keep but are surprised when the diet fails. There’s no secret in food; if you eat junk, your body will feel like junk. Rather than restricting as a resolution, if you approach the New Year with a goal of incorporating whole, healthy foods into your diet, you may enjoy more success! Our bodies crave foods that are good for us like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty of fluids. Choose to start small and integrate new, wholesome foods into your diet each week. Don’t resolve to cut out every treat or take-out item you love and expect perfection. Be realistic and remember that moderation is key to success with this resolution.
3. Do One Yoga Pose a Day—This may sound silly to some of you but doing just one pose a day could make an amazing difference in how you sleep at night, reduce the tension in your body, help clear your mind, and even assist digestion. By spending a few minutes a day stretching in a pose, you can improve the condition of your mind and body with each calming breath. For ideas on where to visit to see poses online or in print, visit a recent blog post here.
4. Go For a Walk—Shed pounds, increase energy, improve your posture, and reconnect with the great outdoors by taking a walk a few days a week. Studies have suggested that walking each day for as few as 10 minutes can not only bring mental clarity but also improves the condition of your heart as well as naturally helping you overcome stress and mood disorders! Grab a friend (4-legged or just 2) and get out the door. Walking can be the key to success with several different resolutions!
5. Have Some “Me” Time—Are you a yes man and find yourself spread thin over several projects with several people? We aren’t asking you to resolve to tell your friends and family no, we are asking you to say yes to yourself every now and then. Making time for yourself is an important way to prevent burnout and stress and benefit your body, mind, and spirit. Make a resolution to start that book you’ve been meaning to read or take a long bath with soothing herbs and essential oils. No matter what it is, resolve to do something that’s for you, from you!

We know these 5 steps aren’t going to move mountains but we do know that your resolution should be something that is feasible and a promise you can keep to yourself. Don’t let the pressures of rapid weight loss or an extreme exercise routine cloud your options for a resolution that’s right for you. These 5 tips are lifestyle changes and are simple ways to improve yourself year round.

Did you make a resolution this year? We would love to hear about it!