Now that the holiday season of oversized portions and family-style dinners is over, it is time to get back into a healthy habit. The new year brings with it a fresh start, and many use this opportunity to live a healthier lifestyle. Whether your goal is to lose weight, tone your body, or even just to feel more energized and awake throughout the day, now is the perfect time to start your fitness journey.
Within about a month, many will give up on their fitness goals as they have become too unrealistic or hard to reach. In fact, it is estimated that only about 8% of people stick with their resolutions each year. To combat this, try to set easy but effective resolutions that will produce results that you can see and feel. Here are some examples of resolutions that you will actually want to keep.
Cut back on sweet drinks
Sugar is directly linked to various health issues like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. If you have a sweet tooth, giving up sugar all together proves almost impossible. Try cutting sugar out of your drinks to start. Water is much healthier and comes with its own benefits when consumed daily.
Cook at home
Eating out may be great in a social aspect, but restaurant meals tend to have higher than average sodium levels. Rather than eating out every day, try cooking at home instead. Make a habit to grocery shop for fresh and wholesome ingredients every week, and plan your meals ahead of time. As a bonus, you’ll save a lot of money doing this as well – which could help with another resolution you may have.
Stand up more
It can be difficult to remember to move around when you work a sedentary desk job. If your job allows it, find small ways to move more throughout the day. This could be as simple as taking a walk to the water cooler every hour or choosing the stairs over the elevator each day. Go one step further and utilize your lunch break for quick physical activities.
Find a hobby
The beginning of the year is a great time to explore a new hobby or activity that has piqued your interest. Not only is this a great way to try new things, but most hobbies will involve some kind of physical or mental stimulation. Try taking up jogging, swimming, or a new sport.
No New Year’s resolution is too big or too small if you have the motivation to start. It takes time for a new behavior to become a habit. If you stick with it long enough, you could be feeling healthier and happier in no time.
Originally published on LucasLamport.net