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How to Experience Your Healthiest Year Yet
It’s that time of year again.
A new year is on the horizon, and you may be starting to think about some changes you want to make in 2020. If you have your mind set on having your best year yet, there’s no better time than now to start thinking about what your New Year’s resolutions are and what you want to accomplish in the brand new year ahead.
Read on to learn about exactly what New Year’s resolutions are, the benefits of making them, and some resolutions you may consider making for a healthier 2020.
What the heck are New Years Resolutions?
Chances are you've heard the term time and time again, but what actually are New Year’s resolutions?
The definition of a New Year’s resolution is a promise that you make to yourself to either stop an undesired habit or start doing something more positive once the first day of the new year begins. (1)
This is a tradition that’s most commonly seen in the Western Hemisphere but is also commonly seen in the Eastern Hemisphere as well.
How many people actually stick to their resolutions?
With millions of people setting New Year’s resolutions every single year, not everyone sticks to them. However, that doesn’t mean that New Year’s goals aren’t ever accomplished.
Let’s take a look at some common New Year’s resolution statistics.
- Studies have shown that 60% of people set New Year’s resolutions, but only about 8% of those people stick to them. (2)
- Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions seen year after year include losing weight and eating healthier, followed by exercise, and saving money.
Why should I make some resolutions?
While statistics show that less than 10% of people will actually stick with their resolutions, this shouldn’t discourage you from making them. It’s all about what goals you set for yourself, and how real you are with staying motivated throughout the year.
If you’re very realistic, and come up with an actionable plan to stick to it, you very well may find yourself a part of that eight percent of people who actually stick to their resolutions all year long.
So, let’s take a look at the benefits of making New Year’s resolutions, and why you should still consider making this a tradition each year.
- New Year’s Resolutions Can Kick Your Motivation Up a Notch: There’s just something about setting new goals and having a fresh, positive outlook going into the new year to supercharge your motivation. Actually writing down your goals and everything you want to accomplish in 2020, followed by a plan of action, can really help you fire up that motivation you need to take action.
- They Can Help You Take Control of What You Want to Achieve: And, speaking of taking action, New Year’s resolutions can also help you take control of what you want to achieve. When you write out what you want to change in your life, you realize that you are in charge of the direction your life goes in and that you have the power to make the necessary changes to help you get to the place you want to be in the new year. This helps give you a greater sense of control over the things that you want to achieve in 2020.
- May Boost Your Self-Esteem:Knowing that you have the power to make these changes happen can also be a great self-esteem boost! And the more you work towards tackling those 2020 goals, the more confidence you will have to keep pushing forward.
Need some resolution ideas? We got you covered.
If you are ready to make this year your healthiest year yet, here are some sample New Year’s resolutions to help you get started.
These are some examples of what seems to come up on some of the most popular New Year’s resolution lists every single year but think about these and how they would play into your life. You can tailor your own resolutions to exactly what you want to accomplish this year.
#1
Make More Food At Home vs. Eating Out
Since healthy eating is one of the number one ways you can help support better health, why not make it a goal to make more food at home instead of dining out? Not only will this save you money, but it will also cut back on your sodium intake (fast foods are loaded with salt) and put you in control of what you put into your body.
#2
Be More Active
Exercising more is always a really popular New Year’s resolution, but it’s key to go further than just being vague. Instead, be specific about how you want to be more active this year. Maybe you want to join a kickboxing class or make yoga a regular part of your fitness routine.
No matter what it is, get very specific—a specific plan will help you stick with it.
#3
Become a Morning Person
If you’re a night owl and the idea of waking up earlier sounds daunting, but you really want to give early mornings a try, do it in 2020! Try waking up a little earlier each morning to exercise, make a healthy breakfast, or even sit down and read a personal development book.
Getting up earlier this year may help you practice that self-care we all need more of.
#4
Drink One Smoothie Per Day
This year, try adding more fruits and veggies to your diet by drinking one smoothie per day. Smoothies are great for packing in a ton of nutritional value into one beverage. So, commit to making a smoothie for breakfast or as healthy snack, and load it up with lots of berries and dark leafy greens.
#5
Focus on Quality Sleep
If you’re sleep hygiene could use a little help, make sleep a priority this year. Sleep deprivation is a massive issue in this country and can lead to all kinds of unwanted symptoms such as hormone disruption, and even weight gain. (3)
If you have to get to bed an hour earlier to make sure you are getting those 7-8 golden hours of sleep each night, then see what obligations you can move aside to allow yourself to do that. Making sleep a priority in 2020 can benefit your overall health.
#6
Reduce Stress
Stress is truly a silent killer, and it’s something that we all deal with. However, when we let this stress get out of hand and turn into chronic stress, we increase our risk of chronic disease. (4)
Make 2020 the year you really focus on lowering your stress levels in any way you can. If exercise speaks to you, then try moving your body more. If you need some time to meditate each day, pencil that time in. Do what you need to do to bring some Zen into your life every day.
#7
Create a Morning & Evening Routine
Creating some routine in your life can really be a good thing. Start by creating a morning routine by waking up a half-hour earlier to practice self-care and fuel your body with a healthy breakfast.
Wind down your day with an evening routine that involves shutting your computer and TV off two hours before bed, and doing something that calms your mind and your body. Maybe that looks like yoga and meditation or drinking a cup of tea while reading a book.
Try to create some routine this year to start to include some healthier habits into your day to day life.
#8
Add More Superfoods to Your Diet
Adding a superfood boost to your diet this year can be easy and rewarding. Make it a goal to add a superfood to each meal; it may be exactly what your body needs to help you have the healthiest year yet.
Some great superfood options include dark leafy greens, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, avocados, and berries.
#9
Drink More Water
Drinking more water is something many of us may need to do, especially if you find yourself going all day without staying hydrated.
This year, make it a goal to carry a reusable water bottle with you throughout the day and fill it up as needed. If you have to remind yourself to hydrate, try using a hydration app on your phone to set reminders to make sure you are drinking enough water each day.
#10
Pick Up a Hobby You Love
Last but not least is to pick up a hobby, doing something you absolutely love. Self-fulfillment is a huge part of boosting your overall quality of life, so picking up a new hobby can definitely help you have a happy and a healthy year.
How to stick to your resolutions
Ok, so you have an idea as to what resolutions you want to set, but how do you go about making resolutions that you can stick to all year long?
Here are some tips on how to make New Year’s resolutions that you can actually stick to throughout all of 2020.
- Be Realistic: Be realistic about your goals for the year. If you want to exercise more, but your schedule doesn't allow for you to be at the gym for an hour each day, don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself. Choose goals and set expectations based on what’s realistic for your life.
- Make Resolutions Actionable & Measurable: For each resolution, set an actionable plan as to how you are going to see this through the entire year and make sure to pick a measurable way to see your progress. For example, if you want to cook more at home this year, set a number of days per week you want to cook and make a chart that you can mark off each time you do.
- Don’t Get Discouraged: If you find yourself swaying from your goals, don’t get discouraged and thrown off track. So what if you slipped up on your healthy eating diet, just pick up where you left off. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing—slow and steady wins the race, so just be as consistent as possible!
- Keep Reminders Front and Center: It’s easy to set resolutions during the hype of the New Year approaching, but come February, those resolutions start to fizzle out. Instead of forgetting about all of your New Year’s goals, keep reminders where you can see them each day. Maybe set reminders in your phone, have post-it notes on your desk, and have an accountability partner to help you stay on track.
Make 2020 your best year yet
The new year is quickly approaching, and if you have yet to set your New Year’s resolutions, there’s no better time than now to really start thinking about them.
Set goals for yourself, write out a plan, and head into 2020 with motivation to make this your healthiest and most successful year yet!
