10 Tips for Getting and Staying Healthy in the New Year

Everyday is an opportunity to learn, grown and be better. Here are 10 tips for getting and staying healthy this year. 

Good morning friends! How are you? Are you running into the new year or are you walking into it like me? I won’t lie, I am feeling a little sluggish as I always do after I have a “vacation.”

The internet has been bursting this week with resolutions, did you make any? I am not a person that makes resolutions. In the past I did because everyone else I knew was, but in my heart I knew I was just being a lemming.

As I have aged I realize that resolutions do not work for me, especially resolutions about getting in shape. Instead I try to stay healthy and active all year long, some years are better than others. Is it like that for you too?

10 Tips for Getting and Staying Healthy

Today I am sharing a few of my favorite tips for getting and staying healthy, not just for this year but for the future as well. After all, we have one body and if we don’t take care of it who will?

Disclaimer: I am not a physician, please speak with your doctor before you make any changes to your diet, exercise program or lifestyle. 

1. Hydration

Drinking enough water and fluids every single day is crucial to your health. Water keeps your joints lubricated, your organs functioning properly, helps with sleep, mood and overall well being.

Women should be drinking 11 glasses of water a day and men 16. The good news is that you don’t have to drink just plain water, you can drink coffee, tea(especially green), or fruit and vegetable infused waters like lemon, limes, raspberries of cucumbers. By the way, one cup of water with the juice of one lemon is a daily dose of vitamin C. I like to drink electrolytes in my water, especially on hot days, this is my favorite brand.

Here are 5 tips to help you drink more water!

10 Evidenced Based Benefits of Green Tea. 

2. Moderation

Everything in moderation, and by this I am not just referring to food. Don’t deprive yourself of food because you will only want it more, at least that is my experience.  If you like chocolate have a piece, if you like wine, drink a glass, find what works for you and your life.

If you like scrolling thru Instagram or Pinterest, go ahead, but try not to waste hours scrolling thru the little squares of other people lives. Get out and enjoy yours as well. Should you find yourself spending too much time on the gram taking a break from social media is a great idea. You might find yourself with more time to spend with friends, read, to get outside,and reset your mind.

3. Relationships

Take care of your relationships, social relationships with your family and friends are important for your physical and mental health. Get off the computer or the phone and make a date for coffee with your mom or your best friend.

The Importance of Connections on Our Well-Being

4. Exercise & Movement

Include some cardio for your heart health and weight bearing exercise for your muscles and bones. If you don’t like the gym you can walk outside or do an online video, or for weights you could try resistance bands.

Find something that you like to do and that you can see yourself doing for the long term and do that! Yoga, walking, running, HITT, stepping, biking, swimming, etc.

7 Benefits of Physical Activity

5.  Practice gratitude

Keep a gratitude journal or just take 5 minutes a day to reflect on 3 things you are grateful for. Need a few more tips on practicing gratitude? Check out this post.

6. Get Outside

Let nature nurture you. G0 outside for a walk, read on your patio or porch, putter in your garden, shovel snow, whatever you like, but get outside. Not only will you get some fresh air and vitamin D but a daily dose of nature is good for your mental, physical and emotional health. Especially if you unplug from technology while doing it.

8 Benefits of Getting Outdoors.

7.  YOU ARE ENOUGH

“Give yourself a break, YOU ARE ENOUGH, just the way you are.”

I read this quote by Karen Karbo in Real Simple Magazine and it resonated with me because Karen mentioned that women are ALWAYS trying to make themselves better. Could be because every magazine cover is plastered with headlines of how to do it?

The fact is, YOU ARE ENOUGH, JUST THE WAY THAT YOU ARE!

A Blueprint for Believing That You Are Enough.

8. Take a Day Off

After a long week at work take a day off, either Saturday or Sunday. Give yourself the day off and rest, relax and regroup.

Turn off the phone, turn off social media and use the day to enjoy something you love. Maybe it is cooking or baking or loosing yourself in a book or that pile of magazines that you keep saying you are going to read. Or it could be taking an online class, going for a walk, spending time with family and friends, doing your meal prep for the week or doing absolutely nothing.

9. Sleep

Get enough sleep! Poor sleepers or people that do not get enough sleep have a higher risk for heart disease and stroke. Poor sleep and not enough sleep is linked to obesity, depression, inflammation and more.

In short, you need your sleep and if you are having problems sleeping talk to your doctor.

Sleep 101: Why Sleep Is So Important to Your Health.

10. Take Care of Your Mental Health

Your mental health is as important as your physical health and in fact can greatly impact your physical health. If you are stressed or anxious reach out to a friend or a therapist, you can even find a therapist online.

50 Realistic Ways to Improve Your Mental Health

UNTIL NEXT TIME

That is it my friends, I hope that you enjoyed my 10 tips for staying healthy not only this year but for years to come.  Do you have any healthy tips to share, is so please leave them in the comments.

Take care and thank you for spending part of your day with me.

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