17 Healthy New Year's Resolutions You Can Actually Stick To.

A new year often signifies a fresh start for many people. For some, this means setting health goals, such as losing weight, following a healthier diet, and starting an exercise routine.

However, more often than not, the health and wellness resolutions chosen are highly restrictive and unsustainable, leading most people to break their resolutions within a few weeks. To break that cycle, it’s important to make resolutions that can add to creating healthy habits for life.
 
Here are 17 New Year’s resolutions you can actually keep: 

1. Eat clean unprocessed whole foods
One of the easiest and most sustainable ways to improve overall health is to eat clean whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish / seafood and lean meats.
Research shows that following a whole-foods-based diet may significantly reduce heart disease risk factors, body weight, and blood sugar levels, as well as decrease your risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.  

2. Sit less and move more !
Whether it’s due to having a sedentary job or simply being inactive, many people sit more than they should. If you have a desk job that requires long periods of sitting, make a resolution to go for a 15-minute walk at lunch or to get up and walk for 5 minutes every hour.

3. Cut back on sugary drinks even the ones labeled "zero" calories or "stevia" etc.. 
Cutting back on sugary drinks is really important because sugary drinks are linked to an increased risk of obesity, fatty liver, heart disease, insulin resistance, and cavities in both children and adults.

4. Sleep, sleep and sleep.
Sleep is an essential part of overall good health. Sleep deprivation can lead to serious consequences. For instance, lack of sleep may increase your risk of weight gain, heart disease, and depression.

5. Find a physical activity that you enjoy
To get started, choose an activity based on enjoyment and whether it fits into your schedule.
For example, taking a half-hour walk, jog, or bike ride before work, or swimming at a gym that’s on your way home, are simple and sustainable exercise resolutions.
Then, set an attainable goal, such as planning to walk a few specific days per week instead of aiming for every day.

6. Take more ‘me time’ and practice self-care 
Taking time for yourself is not selfish. In fact, it’s imperative for optimal health and well-being. This is especially true for those in caretaker roles, such as parents and healthcare workers
Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or time consuming. It can simply mean taking a bath every week, attending your favorite weekly yoga class, having a cuppa tea with a friend,  going for a walk in nature, or getting an extra hour of sleep.

7. Cook more meals at home
Research shows that people who cook more meals at home have better quality diet and less body fat than people who eat more meals on the go.
In fact, a study in 11,396 adults found that those who ate 5 or more home-cooked meals per week were 28% less likely to be overweight, compared with those who ate fewer than 3 home-cooked meals per week. Start by making one meal a day, then increase the frequency over time until you’re making the majority of your meals and snacks at home.

8. Give nature some loving and get outside
Spending more time outdoors can improve health by relieving stress, elevating mood, and even lowering blood pressure. Take walks in the park, on the beach or even go camping !

9. Limit screen time 
Many people depend on their phones and computers for work and entertainment. However, spending too much time on electronic devices — particularly on social media — has been linked to depression, anxiety, and loneliness in some studies.

10. Try meditation
Meditation is an evidence-based way to promote mental well-being. It may be particularly helpful for people who have anxiety or depression. There are many ways to meditate, and it’s easy to find books, podcasts, and apps that teach you how to start a meditation practice.

11. Cut back on alcohol 
Though alcohol can certainly fit into a healthy diet, indulging too often can negatively affect your health. What’s more, drinking alcohol frequently may keep you from reaching your health and wellness goals. Limit yourself to two drinks a week.

12. Take a vacation
Taking a vacation — even a short one — may have significant and immediate positive effects on stress levels and may enhance well-being.

13. Try a new hobby
It’s common for adults to let once-loved hobbies fall by the wayside as they get older due to busy schedules or lack of motivation.
However, research shows that partaking in a hobby that you love can help you live a longer, healthier life (study).

14. Visit your doctor 
Getting examined regularly by your healthcare practitioner is important for many reasons. Having regular blood work and necessary screenings can help spot potential problems before they turn into something more serious.

15. Take care of your teeth 
Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly can help prevent oral conditions like gum disease and bad breath . In addition, recent research shows that gum disease may be associated with serious health conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and heart disease, making oral care all the more important.

16.  Create a sustainable, nourishing diet
Instead of making a plan to follow yet another restrictive fad diet, this New Year, make a resolution to break the dieting cycle and create a sustainable, nourishing eating pattern that works for you. The healthiest diet is one that’s rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods and low in heavily processed, sugary products. A healthy, long-term diet should not only be nutritious but also adaptable, meaning you can follow it for life — no matter the circumstances.
A sustainable eating pattern can be maintained on vacation, during holidays, and at parties because it’s nonrestrictive and suited to your lifestyle. Check out my book to get started.
 
17. Drink herbal teas
Drinking at least 3 mugs of herbal teas a day will definitely benefit your health. Herbs are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory properties just to name a few. As they say there is a herb to treat almost every ailment. So make a cuppa of herbal tea… choose from ginger, chamomile, cinnamon, anise, mint, moringa, tulsi, turmeric, cloves and so much more. Get imaginative and make your own mix !
 
Though most New Year’s resolutions are only kept for a short period, the healthy resolutions listed above are sustainable ways to create healthier eating and lifestyle habits for life. It's all about creating a healthier relationship with food and taking better care of your body and mind which can drastically improve your health in various ways.