Happy New Year!
Here we are, over halfway through January! How are those resolutions going? I have a strong love-hate relationship with resolutions. First, because I think that change can happen at any time. Second, I think our resolutions are typically too broad to ensure success. For example, a resolution may be to eat healthy and exercise. This is a great resolution, but it is not specific and it doesn’t give you clear action steps. A better resolution would be that you will add a vegetable to every meal and commit to 3 days a week at the gym. The more specific we can make our changes and goals, the easier it is to stick to them.
When it comes to making lasting change it’s important to meet yourself where you are at. Not many people can throw themselves 100% into a new lifestyle and find long term success. Lasting change is proven to be built by making small changes, consistency in working on them and doing it for a long period of time. That to say, I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a new habit after just 30 days of working on it. I also don’t think that there is an “end” to reaching the goal of being healthy. It is a choice that you must continue to make for your whole life! I am nutritionist and I still have to choose to prioritize eating enough veggies and drinking enough water. A lot of people (myself included) think that once you build a habit it should then just become second nature. Maybe for some people things can become that way. But, I believe that we must continue to choose to make our habits stick, until not doing it feels like the abnormal way to live. In order to know if you’re on the right track for your goals, check in with yourself at least monthly. It’s a good way to gain perspective on where you’re at, re-frame goals and pump yourself back up.
I decided to come up with 5 easy ways to help you live healthier that can be started any time of year and should be checked in on regularly.
- Drink more water. Aim for ½ your body weight in oz of water per day at a minimum.
- Eat at least 1 vegetable or fruit per meal. Increase to 1-2 cups of vegetables per meal as a long term goal. The more color variety, the better!
- Sleep at least 8 hours per night. Lack of sleep can inhibit weight loss, impact mood, hunger, blood sugar and our bodies ability to detox. It’s a key part of regeneration and rest our bodies need more of than we think. The whole “sleep when you’re dead” thing is not a good way to live.
- Eat in more than you eat out. This gives you the ability to control all ingredients, oils, etc used. It also saves money and makes you cook more.
- Meal plan & Meal Prep weekly. This is a HUGE key to success when it comes to eating healthier. Plan each week in advance to note when you will need meals or when you’re eating out. Take at least a few hours over the weekend to prep veggies, proteins or full recipes for leftovers for the week.
- EXTRA TIP: ALWAYS cook for leftovers! This makes your time in the kitchen cooking WAY more effective. That way you have them for easy meal options or you can freeze for later use.
These are easy extras to add into your routine that make a huge difference and the more you continue to prioritize these 5 things, the more you will be rocking that healthier lifestyle!
I’m looking forward to a new year filled with new goals! This blog is going to get a lot more action and I can’t wait to share more with everyone.
Tell me, do you have a new years resolution?