9 Easy Health Resolutions You Can Stick with in the New Year
It's officially a new year!
Yes, 2017 is here and it brings with it boundless possiblities.
It's a Celebration!
Today, I am celebrating the third year of my blog as well as the new direction it will take and appreciating my new found unemployment. I was officially laid off as of December 30th. I see being unemployed as an opportunity to find a new job that allows me to use my skills to the fullest.
A New Direction
As you may have already observed, I've been incorporating more posts about my vegan journey over the past couple months because it's a life change that I'm extremely proud of. I've never felt healthier, stronger or looked better. I wish I had become a vegan years ago, but it's okay. A positive lifestyle change is a good thing no matter when it occurs.
I've only been eating vegan or plant based foods for nine months, and I want to share my newbie vegan journey with everyone and hopefully encourage more people to give it a try. So, I intend to write more posts about my vegan journey.
I will share resources that I've found helpful, personal advice, my favorites recipes, favorite cruelty free cosmetics and more. I hope that even if you're not vegan or have no interest in becoming a vegan, you'll find the information I share helpful and educational.
In the spirit of the new year, new possibilities and health, if you haven't written your resolutions or goals for 2017; I'd like to share nine easy health resolutions I believe anyone can stick with. Having simple resolutions or goals is a good way to demonstrate to yourself that you can tackle goals. You can stick with plans and most of all, that you can take control of your own destiny.
Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician.
When was the last time you had a physical exam? Or had blood work to check your vitamin d levels and to ensure you have no systemic deficiencies. Often times we appear to be the picture of health, but we won't know what going on inside our bodies unless we get regular check ups.
Add a serving of fruit to your breakfast and a serving of veggies to lunch and dinner to increase your nutrient intake.
Most people grab bagels, breakfast sandwiches or other high calorie low nutrient foods for breakfast because it's quick and easy. I'm not trying to convince you to stop eating these things, but what I will ask you to do is add an extra serving of fruits and veggies to your meals. Eat an apple, banana or berries with your breakfast. Have a breakfast smoothie and get fruits and veggies in one meal. Eat a salad (dressing on the side), raw or oven roasted veggies with your lunch or dinner. It's a simple way to increase your fruit and veggie intake.
Plan dinners in advance each week.
Meal plans can help you eat mindfully and save money. You will already have the ingredients you need to prepare your dinner at home thereby lessening your need to shop for dinner after work or the temptation to eat fast foods. Need help check out my weekly meal plan here. Or try one of the many home delivery meal services, like Blue Apron, Green Chef or Hungryroot, that cater to both omnivores and herbivores.
Drink more water.
I hope that this point in your life you know the benefits of drinking more water. If you don't, I have two questions for you...do you like feeling constipated? Or do you like having dark yellow urine? Sounds disgusting right? Then drink more water!
Make lunch everyday as a way to save money and eat healthier.
Eat your leftovers from dinner for lunch. Leftovers can help you take the guesswork out of the annoying "what should I eat for lunch" question. I'm sure your coworkers are even tired of having this discussion with you everyday. So do them and yourself a favor and bring your lunch!
Find small ways to increase your activity level.
Take a walk during your lunch hour, take the stairs instead of the elevator or simply park further away from the office. I'm not asking you to run a marathon, just find an excuse to walk more. The average person, myself included, lives a far too sedentary lifestyle. Let's try these small steps to get our bodies moving again.
Want something to satisfy that sweet tooth? Make your own treats at home.
Homemade cookies or cakes can be made with reduced sugar and no preservatives. Give it a try. If you have kids, let them help. Baking can be fun for the whole family.
Use the advice you've been hoarding. And yes, I mean hoarding.
Your Pinterest boards, pocket app and podcast queue are probably filled with advice from your favorite sources; but have you actually implemented any of their advice?
Let 2017 be the year you stop hoarding advice by adding it to a list you'll never look at again.
Let 2017 be the year you stop being afraid of doing; when I know you're brave enough to try these tips.
Make a list do 10 tips you'd like to try. Try one or two a month. Let's put plan to action by using good advice instead of hoarding it.
Speak kindly to and about yourself.
Negative words and thoughts can damage your self-esteem and health. Don't chastise yourself for mistakes made...past or present. Remember that you're a work in progress, so mistakes are to be expected and unless you've murdered someone, every mistake made in finances, health or love can be forgiven.
Thank you supporting me these past three years. Blogging has been extremely therapeutic and educational for me and now that I'm unemployed and searching for a new job, I'm excited to have blogging help me focus while I job hunt.
Photo: Carmen Creative