I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions – yeah, yeah, I know. You’re getting bored hearing me say that, right? I suppose I keep repeating it as a reminder to myself more than anything. You don’t have to wait for a special date to make changes to improve your life. And when those changes have to do with your health, I say, the sooner the better!
Of course, after all the unhealthy living most of us do over the holidays, this IS a prime time to get back on track. I don’t know about you but I ate my share of sugary, fatty foods at Christmas and New Year’s and my main form of activity was binge-watching Netflix, the Hallmark Channel, and college football (Go Hogs! – my boys won the Liberty Bowl!!!).
It’s tough to go from a lifestyle of indulgence to making some big changes towards healthier living all in one fell swoop and that, in itself, can lead us to failure when it comes to those New Year’s resolutions. So, if you’ve made some resolutions of your own, be sure to add “I resolve to keep my New Year’s resolutions” to the very top of that list. But how? How do we achieve success in meeting our goals this time when year after year, we’ve been met with failure?
BABY STEPS, my friend….baby steps. Think about it – would you rather make a few small steps towards your goals or fail entirely? Small steps with big results is where the key to success lies.
Here are a few easy steps you can take, to deliver big results:
Take the stairs: You can take small steps towards a healthier you, literally. Not quite realistic if you work on the 42nd floor, but think escalators at the mall, moving sidewalks at the airport, that errand that’s a two minute drive away…skip all shortcuts and walk! Or get off on the 40th floor and walk those last two flights. You can also get a pedometer or smartphone fitness app that counts your steps and calories burned so you can measure your results. Set a small goal and each day, just try to do a few steps more! Extend this idea by parking a little farther away from your destination or simply by getting up from your computer every hour and walking around for 5-10 minutes. Even walking in place helps!
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Take your vitamins: Taking your daily vitamins helps ensure you get the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy active lifestyle. However, men and women have varying nutritional needs so multivitamins such as Vitafusion™ Men’s & Women’s Complete Multivitamins offer a personalized option to help you feel great and support optimal health.
Get your giggle on: Laughter really is the best medicine, not to mention it’s both fun and free. Research shows that humour and laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts your energy, diminishes pain and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. I honestly don’t know how I would survive a day without laughter. I even keep a few laugh-inducing things on hand for those extra tough days: episodes of the Big Bang Theory on my pvr, videos of babies laughing on my computer, photos of favourite moments with my friends and family that make me giggle as I recall them.
Protect your skin: Use sunscreen with an SPF every day to protect yourself against the sun’s harmful rays (UVA & UVB). And yes, even wear it on days when it’s overcast. Don’t forget – if it’s snowy out, the snow acts like a big reflector and bounces even more of those harmful rays onto your skin! I use a moisturizer that has sunscreen in it to do double duty and protect my skin from sun and winter’s cold wind all at once. Don’t forget about a lip balm with sunscreen in it too.
Drink more water: So here’s the thing. Every time I read about people making resolutions to drink 8 glasses (or whatever quantity) of water a day, I flinch a little bit. It just sounds like SO much. I’ve tried a few times but it has just never happened. Instead, I’m substituting water for every other drink I have. If my first beverage of the day is a cup of coffee, instead of reaching for a second one, I grab a glass of water. I keep alternating like this all throughout the day so that even if I’m not getting those full 8 glasses of water a day, at least half of my beverage consumption is water. And that’s an improvement, right? Not a big water fan? Add some sliced up cucumber, oranges, lemons, limes, or berries to it!
Did you make any health resolutions this year? Share them in the comments below!
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