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January is here which means many of you have set resolutions and goals. While we don’t ascribe to the new year, new you philosophy, we do believe in taking note of where you can make improvements to your life.
For many of us, our health is one of those areas that can use a little help. While our diets and exercise plans play a major role in our overall health, it’s just as important to take a look at our lifestyles as a whole.
Keep reading for 10 habits to put into practice to make this your healthiest year. Some of these are habits that I’ve personally seen success from adopting, while others are still a work in progress for me. While I can’t guarantee these will all be easy for you, I can promise that if you consistently add a few of them to your routine, by the time the year ends you’ll be feeling much better.
10 Habits To Make This Your Healthiest Year
Get more sleep.
There is endless amounts of research touting the importance of getting enough sleep. Getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep is good for your immune system and your mood. If you want to get more sleep but don’t feel like you have time, start by going to bed 20 minutes earlier and work your way up to an hour.
Related Reading: 10 Reasons Why You Are Tired, 7 Easy Hacks For A Better Night’s Sleep
Drink more water.
Your body is mostly made of water so it makes sense that you need to be drinking it. For me drinking more water keeps me feeling more awake, helps my skin look more luminous, and it keeps me from consuming drinks with calories. Easily drink more water by grabbing your water bottle when you leave the house. No need to stop at that coffee shop or pick up a soft drink when you get thirsty while running errands.
Favorite Water Bottles: Contigo, Hydro Flask
Move your body every day.
You know that regular exercise is good for your health. This goes beyond the typical advice to exercise a few days a week. Yes, you need to do that, but even on days that you don’t hit the gym, you should move your body every day. This can be as simple as stretching in the morning to taking a short walk during your lunch.
Related Reading: Working Out After A Break
Eat more veggies, especially the green ones.
More veggies is the answer to everything. Want to lose weight? Eat more veggies. Want glowing skin? Eat more veggies. Have the healthiest year… eat more veggies! I’ll be honest and admit this one is hard for me. I’ve been getting more veg in my diet by throwing some spinach into my smoothie or eating a big green salad at lunch.
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Eat less sugar.
Eating more veggies is good for you, but it won’t do much to help you lose weight or feel better if you are consuming tons of sugar. Feel better and avoid the sugar crash by eating less sugar. Make simple swaps by drinking flavored water instead of soda. Even swapping out just one drink a day is a huge start.
Related Reading: Simple Swaps For A Healthier You
Reduce your screen time.
Pediatricians recommend no screen time for children under two because of all the negative effects of staring at a screen. As an adult, screen time is still just as bad. Screen time is bad for your health, impacts your sleep, makes impulse control harder, and it can cause depression. If you have an iPhone it is easier than ever to track your screen time. The tracker has made me very aware of how much time I’ve been spending on my phone. Need more help cutting screen time? Schedule times during the day to log off your computer and put the phone away.
Related Reading: Do A Social Media Following Cleanse
Try out meditation.
If you think meditation is just woo woo nonsense, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Meditation has numerous benefits such as reducing stress and anxiety and improving happiness. Please don’t be scared of mediation because you think it is hard. With the help of apps like Calm and Headspace, it is easier than you think to get started.
Related Reading: Make Meditation Your New Happiness Habit
Take time for self-care.
You have probably heard this before but… You can’t pour from an empty cup. Simply this means you have to take time for yourself so you have the energy to give time to those in your life. Self care is not selfish, so please make sure to fit it into your schedule.
Related Reading: Your Guide To Self Care
Practice gratitude.
Gratitude isn’t just a word to throw around at Thanksgiving. There are real benefits to practicing gratitude including lowering stress levels, increasing happiness, increasing self-worth, and it hinders negative thinking.
Related Reading: Boost Your Happiness With Gratitude
Start again.
One of the hardest things about wellness is sticking with it. If you mess up, that is okay. Nobody is perfect. Give yourself some grace. Learn from the mistake and move on. Every hour and every day is a new opportunity for you to make this your healthiest year.
i am liking that hydroflask and i am all about self-care right now. my hygiene routine is going great so far in 2019.
All great tips! My husband and I have been working hard at going to bed at a decent time and we go to the gym 4X a week – it’s been a rough adjustment but I feel AMAZING!
That is awesome. 4x a week is major goals!
Love this!! It is something I want to work on more in 2019 is living healthier both mentally and physically… perfect post to start the year!
Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed it.
I am a big advocate of meditation. there’s a lot of miscommunication over what it really is, and does
I could easily duplicate your tips and strive to follow them as my own for this year. I definitely need to work on getting more sleep and more exercise, especially. Like you, I add spinach to my green smoothies, and hubby and I regularly eat broccoli as the veggie of choice with meals. I also like the emphasis on starting over … we can get a fresh start whenever we want to!
It sounds like you are off to a great start!