A New Year’s resolution is a promise that an individual makes for self-betterment. Resolutions can take many forms. Common resolutions include quitting smoking or drinking, and losing weight. Good health is crucial to promote well-being at all ages.
Healthy Resolutions for the New Decade
So let’s start this new decade with some healthy resolutions.
- Drink more water: Drinking more water is first step towards staying healthy. It helps to keep your body hydrated deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells throughout your body, and helps your organs flush out waste materials. While drinking at least 8 glasses of water daily is recommended, the actual quantity would depend on factors like body size, activity levels, and so on.
- Don’t skip preventive care: Many people tend to skip the primary care wellness visit that helps manage your health. People often consider healthcare system as a sick care system and seek care only when they are not feeling well. But it is important for every person to focus on staying healthy through preventative care.
- Make time for self care: Make time for yourself and focus on self care. Self-care need not be elaborate or time consuming. It can be doing some simple thing like taking a long bath every week, attending your favorite weekly exercise class, preparing a healthy meal for yourself, going for a nature walk, or getting an extra hour of sleep.
- Sit less and move more: Most people have sedentary job today and they sit more and become inactive. Sitting for long hours can be harmful for your body. If you have desk job, make a resolution to take small walks or stretch for 5 minutes.
- Cook more meals at home: Studies have shown that people who cook meals at home have better diet quality and less body fat. So start having more home cooked meals. Begin with making one meal a day, then increase the frequency over time until you’re making the majority of your meals and snacks at home.
- Exercise more: Exercising regularly helps you to stay fit and healthy.
- Control alcohol consumption: Cut down on alcohol consumption. In the beginning, it may not be easy but start with having one glass instead of two or more for a few days or few weeks. If you need a non-alcoholic beverage idea to replace your usual cocktail, try fruit-infused sparkling water, kombucha, etc.
- Minimize screen time: Today, people spend their time on phones and computers for work or entertainment. Make a resolution to cut back screen time. This will improve your productivity and boost your mood also.
- Eat healthy: Choose a sustainable diet. Sustainable eating is about choosing foods that are healthy for our environment and our bodies. It means consuming more plant-based foods including legumes (beans, peas, lentils, peanuts), whole grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts, and less red-meat and processed meat.
Sticking to these simple resolutions will help you to stay healthy and fit in 2020 and beyond.
