It’s a New Year and a clean slate. This is the time everyone thinks of resolutions and goals for the new year. This is when everyone starts to look to improve their diet into a healthier one or even want to lose weight. Others may be working on stress management or even improving their financial gain by cutting the unnecessary weight in their budget.
Achieving your goals probably will not be easy if you set unrealistic goals for your self and allow self-sabotage. Resolutions made on New Year’s Day are often in the trash bin by Valentine’s Day. But this year can be different if you learn how to set realistic goals that can be achieved for a lifetime.
Before working on your 2021 Goals, make sure to write down to evaluate or take stock of everything you accomplished in 2020 and everything you were grateful for this year before going into the new year.
If you want to work on being healthier or lose weight, then reduce the urge to do them all or nothing approach or crazy wack diets that are very restrictive.
Looking to Get Healthier?
- Slowly add healthier options in your diet and slowly reduce unhealthier ones like incorporating more wholes foods and reducing heavily produced foods.
- Start adding slowly each week ways to be more active. Taking stairs more, walking during your break, standing more every hour, reduce TV sloth time laying on the sofa, or get outside to do something fun. Aim to add one cardio exercise in a week and strength training to eventually get at 3 days strength training 3-4 days cardio along with a stretch or yoga day.
- Add in some “Me Time” and self-care.
- Slowly reduce alcohol and sugar consumption. You don’t have to eliminate it; reduce your portion, and even replace it with healthier options.
- Water consumption-Start consuming more water daily. Depending on your activity level, make sure to follow the recommended daily guidelines on hydration. You will need more if you are working out and outside in the heat. Strive for 10-12 (8 oz glasses) a day. Start drinking a full glass of water upon waking, along with meals and in between meals. Always stay hydrated during workouts.
- Incorporate more fruits and veggies in a day. Eat at least 2 cups of fruits and 3 cups of vegetables daily. Try to slowly increase your serving size to get up to the daily recommendation.
Looking to Reduce Stress?
- Slowly work on scheduling more ME time for yourself each day. Start for 1 min a day, then 3 min, then 5 min and eventually work up to 30min to an hour of ME time and self-care to be able to decompress and recharge.
- Focus on your breathing. Start taking a few moments each day to focus more on your breathing. When we get stressed, upset, or focused, we tend to hold our breath, or our breathing becomes erratic. Take 3-5 mins a day or a few times a day to inhale through your nose for a 3 count, hold, and then take one big exhale out through your month.
- Be more mindful, and take time to pause by staying in the present moment more each day. If you are eating, step away from the computer or TV and enjoy your meal, savoring every bite. If you are walking or with family, be more mindful by putting down your phone and enjoying the scenery or company.
- Take up the practice of Yoga or go for walk. Yoga or walking are great ways for reducing stress and being able to pause from the craziness in your life.
- Get outside to enjoy some fresh air and scenery.
- Take time to read a good book or listen to an audiobook away from any distractions.
- Listen to some good music and break out in a dance. Dancing and listening to music can release feel-good endorphins.
- Stop trying to do everything and put too much on your ToDo list each day.
- Start Journaling. Journaling like mediation forces you to stop and pause in the now. Take a few moments each day to journal down 3 things you are grateful for, 3 three things you can do to make today great, and an affirmation-something positive about yourself.
Want to Workout More?
- Start adding slowly each week ways to be more active. Taking stairs more, walking during your lunch break, standing more every hour, reduce TV sloth time laying on the sofa, or get outside to do something fun. Aim to add one cardio exercise in a week and strength training to eventually get at 3 days strength training 3-4 days cardio along with a stretch or yoga day.
- Add more Strength Training in your routine. Besides looking and feeling great, and there are many excellent benefits that you can receive from strength training consistently. Strength training can help you get stronger, look, and feel better with just 2-3 short workouts each week. You can do strength training with free weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, weight machines, or even with no weights with TRX Straps or your bodyweight.
- Stay active & MOVE More. Try to incorporate more ways in being active like walking, running, jogging, biking, taking stairs, etc. Doing more cardio activities increases your cardiovascular, helps reduce blood pressure, reduces stress, and boosts your mood. (1)
- Try Yoga or Incorporate Stretching. Besides with helping reduce stress, Yoga is something that is great to incorporate in your routine. Yoga poses work by stretching your muscles. They can help you move better and feel less stiff or tired. Stretching helps improve your flexibility, reduce stress, help prevent injuries, and improve posture.
Need to Improve your Financial goals?
- Look over your monthly spending and cut the fat, so to speak, on unnecessary expenditures. Even if it is a little here and there, it will add up to reducing monthly costs. Did you know that spending only $5 additional a day (the price of a fancy latte) can cost you $150 a month?
- Double-check on monthly subscriptions or services you no longer use but are still paying.
- Meal Plan & cook more at home. Not only does this help you stay healthier and lose weight, but it also reduces stress and saves money. So you are hitting all goals; you can batch cook
Need to Work on your Time Management?
- Top 3 ToDos-Make a list of your Top 3 Priority ToDo’s. Put it down on your planner or at the top of your ToDo list with the top 3 ToDos you must get done for that day. Then add other to-dos you will like to get done after the top 3’s.
- Start with the Easy Stuff 1st-Think of the items on your list you knock off in the next 15 to 30 minutes. Returning emails, make phone calls, or so on. Creating a smaller list of tasks on your to-do list will help you reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and reduce your anxiety level.
- Prioritize-Write down your to-do list the day before. Start with prioritizing deadlines when writing out your ToDo for the day or week. For tasks with shared deadlines, order them by magnitude, putting the bigger items on top.
- Get Assistance- Look at your ToDo’s and see what item a spouse, child, family member, or co-worker can help take off your plate.
- Set a Time for your ToDos-Give yourself set block of time to work on each ToDo list. Plan for 30 or 45 minutes, something you can commit to work on and complete each item.
- Carve out a Chunk of Time with no Distractions-Try to put down on your phone or calendar a set of times that you will work on completing on ToDos. Put your phone away; don’t check emails and text messages frequently, nor scroll on social media during this time. This will help you stay focus and get the work done without distractions.
Sustaining Healthy Habits is a lot about mindset. It takes 3 weeks of performing a routine for it to become a normal habit. So be patient with yourself and take things one day at a time. YOU’VE GOT THIS!
Remember, the past has passed, so learn from 2020 so you are ready and prepared for 2021. Don’t just wish for a great year this year; MAKE IT a GREAT ONE. Here is to the New Year. Wishing you a happy and wonderful New Year
You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. None of my services shall be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. I cannot and do not provide medical advice. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before altering your diet or starting any fitness program