Chances are you have started at least a few Januaries with a resolution for
the year to come. People often begin a year with goals for their health,
but after a flurry of gym signups and diet plans, those objectives are too
often forgotten before the calendar turns to February.
If you want to
change your health for the better
in 2021, it’s important to set goals that are not only transformational,
but achievable. It may seem harder to set meaningful health goals amid the
COVID-19 pandemic, but even without the gym or group workout classes, there
are five things you can accomplish that will impact you well beyond the
next few months:
1. Improve your sleep
The success of each day is
built on a night of quality sleep. Sleep allows your mind to recover from the day and is essential to
virtually every other aspect of health from weight management to blood
pressure. If you can establish a routine that allows for seven to eight
hours of quality sleep each night, you’ll be in the best position to
achieve your other health goals. To
get a good night’s sleep, establish a sleep schedule, get exercise each day, watch your diet (see
#2 below), and limit napping.
2. Commit to a healthier diet
For at least the first part of 2021, many of us will still be spending more
time at home and less time eating out. That makes this an opportune time to
transition into making home-cooked meals that
provide the nutrients your body needs
to stay healthy. A
healthy diet at home
isn’t difficult: eat a mix of grains, fruits, and vegetables; consume lean
meats; drink plenty of water; and keep your diet light on salt, sugar,
saturated fats, trans fats, and alcohol. The key is to choose diet goals
that are concrete and realistic. It has to be very easy to tell whether you
are keeping your promises to yourself or not. And if your goals leave you
feeling hungry and deprived, they probably won't last.
3. Master home workouts
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may not feel comfortable working out at
the gym or attending your favorite in-person exercise class. Fortunately,
there’s another way to get yourself in peak physical condition: master the
home workout. You can
easily do circuit training
in the comfort of your living room. These routines can provide the benefits
of both aerobic exercise and strength training. An expensive set of weights
isn’t even necessary —
body weight exercises
can be just as effective!
4. Manage your stress
You might not think of
stress management
as a physical health goal, but stress can have a significant impact on your
physical well-being, causing your body to expend a lot of energy. This can
leave you feeling exhausted and can also lead to heart disease, high blood
pressure, and other problems. Try
meditation or relaxation exercises
in 2021 to reduce your stress levels while also making an effort to let go
of the things you can’t control. If you’re struggling with anxiety or
depression,
there is help available. Don’t try to tough it out — have a conversation with your
primary health care provider.
5. Establish life-long habits
Establishing an exercise routine, sticking with a sleep schedule, or
changing your diet can be difficult at first. But after adjusting your
behavior for some time, those changes become life-long habits which require
little effort. Make 2021 the year you not only set health goals, but
positively change your daily practices in a sustainable way for the long
run.
Every step you take toward improving your health and well-being puts you on
the path to a longer, more fulfilling life — a goal that’s well worth the
effort! In time,
healthy choices will become easier
to make when you see your overall quality of life improve as a result.
