Happy New Year! The holiday season has come to an end and that means you may be left with pants that are starting to feel a little too tight and a list of New Year’s resolutions a mile long.
Although you may be feeling overwhelmed right now, it is possible to slowly ease into a healthier lifestyle. Here are eight easy tips on how you can kick off the new year by slowly easing back into a healthier lifestyle in order to support your health and wellness goals and resolutions this year.
#1 Avoid Labeling Food
This suggestion may sound easier said than done, but try to reframe how you view food. Instead of labeling beverages, foods, and snacks as bad or good, try thinking of all foods as food neutral. Some foods are more nutrient-dense than others, but others that are less nutrient dense are sometimes just good for your soul. Soul food is a thing after all.
#2 Be Physically Active and Exercise
Daily movement is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Whether you ease into it with daily walks or purchase classes at a boutique studio in your community (support local) or you finally join a gym, find a form of physical activity you enjoy and find a way to do it every day. Remember to take rest days! Rest days are also part of a healthy fitness and wellness routine and help you enjoy less burnout and injury.
#3 Drink Water, Stay Hydrated and Avoid Sugary Beverages
A super low-lift way to slowly ease into a healthier lifestyle is to drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day so you stay well hydrated. If you prefer beverages with some flavor, avoid sugar-laden beverages and instead, add a refreshing twist of flavor using fresh fruit slices like citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and oranges as well as other fun flavors like mint leaves, pineapple, and anything else you enjoy the taste of.
#4 Eat Healthy Meals
When creating meals, make them well-balanced. That means including things like adequate protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber. Think of foods like grain bowls, sandwiches, or smoothies. If creating fresh meals daily is a challenge, consider some family dinner meal planning tips, which can help you and your entire family eat more mindfully in the new year.
#5 Find Ways to Better Manage Mental Health
Emotions are a part of life, but sometimes emotions can lead to anxiety, frustration, and stress, so find a way to better manage things like mental health. Whether it is adopting daily walks in Mother Nature, journaling, meditation, working with a mental health professional, or practicing yoga, find a self-care ritual that can help you maintain balance and overcome stress in your life.
#6 Get Enough Sleep
You have probably heard this one a lot before, but clocking quality sleep each night is a great way to boost your immune system and give your body the proper rest it needs to rebuild and repair itself every night. Slowly ease into clocking more sleep each night by going to bed five minutes earlier every night until you have reached the desired amount of additional sleep you are aiming to achieve.
#7 Reduce Screen Time and Sitting
Besides daily movement, reduce your time sitting in front of a screen. Even if that means taking five-minute breaks every hour, any departure from sedentary time such as climbing a few flights of stairs or walking around the office can help increase your daily movement and reduce overall screen time and time spent sitting.
#8 Supplement with Supplements and Vitamins
Although we are all for getting minerals and vitamins through a real, whole-food diet, many of us can still fall short of certain nutrients we need for optimal health. Enter supplements. Whether you take a multivitamin or focus on specific micronutrients that are vital to our immune system (Think of things like vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, and E, as well as copper, iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc), there is most likely a supplement for all of your health and wellness needs. Talk to your primary care physician to find out what supplements may be best for you and your overall health and wellness goals.
Easing back into a healthier lifestyle does not have to be a challenge. Incorporate these eight easy steps to get back into a healthier lifestyle this new year. Happy New Year everyone!
- Stay Healthy and Happy
Need some new recipe ideas to help you slowly ease back into a healthier lifestyle? Check out @Mbveganvegetarianshare or join our CEO live @itsnolasnack as she shares recipes via video each month on It’s Nola Reels. Do not worry, even if you are not vegan, you will still enjoy these dishes.
Tag us @itsnolasnack so we can see all of your favorite healthy recipes.
