8 Sustainable Health Resolutions to Make this New Year

New Year’s Health Resolutions You can Actually Keep

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to make some healthy lifestyle changes, give up bad habits, or just improve your overall well-being. However, a few months in, many of us give up on our resolution because we have set goals that simply aren’t attainable in one year or because we are trying to make too big of a change.

This new year, consider making a sustainable health resolution. A sustainable resolution is a goal that challenges you, but isn’t so challenging that you give up. It is about making small habit changes to help you reach your goals.?

Here are 8 sustainable health resolutions you should consider this new year.??

1 | Eat Healthier a Few Days a Week

A good diet is not only part of losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, but it is also about feeding our bodies with the nutrients it needs! Going from eating red meat 3 to 4 nights a week to becoming a vegetarian or vegan overnight isn’t sustainable. Instead, resolve to eat healthier meals a few days a week. This could mean resolving to eat fish at least once a week and adding in more servings of veggies. Some other good tips for eating healthier include eating slower and checking in with yourself mid-meal. Sipping water between bites can help you eat slower and allows for a check-in mid-meal to see if you are still hungry to help prevent overeating.?

2 | Just Move

You don’t have to buy a membership to a gym to get in more physical exercise. If you don’t exercise much at all, start out by resolving to walk once or twice a week. If you already do a lot of walking, resolve to try some cardio once a week. Making incremental changes in your workout routine can help you develop healthy and sustainable habits.

3 | Schedule an Annual Checkup

Stop putting off seeing your own doctor because you are too busy. It can be something that gets put at the end of the to-do list for many professional and family caregivers. However, you can provide better care for patients when you are feeling your best. Schedule your annual checkup or any other appointment you have been putting off (like the dentist). Regular checkups with preventative screenings can help you address health issues before they become big problems.

4 | Talk It Out

Mental health is just as important as our physical health. Make it a point to find a therapist or counselor and schedule regular therapy appointments. Talking about what makes you unhappy, angry, or stressed can go a long way in making you feel better. It also helps you build resiliency, which is key to improving both mental and physical health!?

5 | Get Better Sleep

While we may not always get a full 8 hours of sleep, there are things we can do to help improve the quality of the sleep we do get. Establish a bedtime routine that helps you relax. This includes limiting screen time before bed, creating a quiet and dark sleep environment, and working with your doctor if you suffer from sleep disturbances.?

6 | Cut Back On Screen Time

We aren’t talking about putting your phone in a lock box for a few hours. But cutting back on the time you spend looking at a screen not only can improve your mental health, but it can also help reduce eye strain. Make meal time a no screen time and ditch devices about a half hour before bedtime. When you do hold your mobile devices, make sure you hold them about 14 to 16 inches away from your face to reduce eye strain.?

7 | Cut Back on Alcohol

Alcohol can have some adverse effects on our health, especially when we consume too much. Cut back on excessive drinking and consider having a drink only with a meal as the food will help absorb some of the alcohol. If you are struggling with an alcohol use disorder, consider making a resolution to reach out for help. If someone you love suffers from alcoholism, make it a resolution to learn how to better speak with them about getting help.?

8 | Quit Smoking

Smoking is one of the most harmful things you can do to your body. Nicotine is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United States. Make a resolution to speak with your doctor to make a plan to quit smoking. Make sure that you and your doctor talk about small habit changes and other things you can do to make your plan more successful.?

Final Thoughts

We can always do something to improve our health. The key is to make small, incremental changes that allow us to create healthy habits. By making small changes in your life, you can challenge yourself without becoming disheartened. Here is to a new year and a new, healthier you!?