Resolutions for Overall Health

Resolutions for Overall Health

by clarkebenefits_admin Posted on: January 7, 2016Categories: LiveWell 24/7   

The month of January is an annual opportunity to set goals for the year, develop healthier habits, and identify areas of your life that could use improvement. 2016 can be the year you prioritize your overall health in a number of ways, and selecting realistic resolutions that you are committed to achieving is the perfect place to start. Here are some strategies and suggestions for becoming a healthier, happier version of yourself this year.

It is important to write your goals down and post them somewhere you will see them every day. Resolutions should be realistic, timely, specific, and meaningful. Identify an area of your life that you wish to improve upon, list specific tactics you will employ to do so, create a timeline, and describe why you chose this goal in one brief mission statement to serve as a constant reminder. Once you develop your goals, think of a way you can team up with others to accomplish them. Accountability is a critical factor in successful behavior change, so get involved in a local fitness group or social media community, develop goals with your family, share your resolutions with your friends and family, and update others on your progress.

As you begin to consider which areas of your life would benefit from behavior change, it is important to look at what causes you regular distress or discomfort. Was your cholesterol too high at your last doctor’s appointment? Do you feel distant from your family? Have you struggled with feelings of depression or anxiety? These are beneficial indications of area for improvement and the perfect starting place for setting goals.

If a specific aspect of your health does not come to mind, here are a few suggestions of ways you can improve your overall health this year.

1. Eliminate unhealthy junk from your kitchen. Purge your cabinets and fridge of sugary cereals, soda, and chips and replace them with healthier alternatives like almonds, fresh veggies, hummus, and popcorn.
2. Stay active throughout the week. The CDC recommends a minimum of two and a half hours of physical activity every week, and for many professionals this is easier to attain if it is broken up. Write down your fitness plans as you would a meeting or appointment and log your progress to ensure you complete it.
3. Protect yourself from illness and injury. Start taking a daily multivitamin, incorporate generous amounts of vitamin C into your diet, wear sunscreen daily, and schedule regular doctors appointments and screenings.
4. Unplug and unwind daily. Try turning your phone off or leaving it in a different room during dinner or the hour before bedtime. Not only will this strengthen the relationships you have with your family, but it will help you relax your mind to fall asleep easier.
5. Start your day with a protein-packed breakfast. Not only will it keep you energized throughout the day, but it will also help you develop lean muscle.
6. Compliment your family, friends, and coworkers. As the people around you set and work towards accomplishing their resolutions, hearing words of encouragement will help them to succeed.

Happy New Year!

Sources: CNN, CDC, Fox News, Ultimate Smart Money