For well over a couple of decades, without fail, health has been the number one New Year’s resolution every year. From quitting smoking to exercising more, eating better and getting more rest, health is on everyone’s mind after a hectic holiday season. Looking at the New Year as a blank slate for reinvention or at the very least, reestablishment of old (good) habits is a very common goal for us to have. Losing weight and looking better is on the top of everyone’s list for 2015. And as far as resolutions go, it’s not only the number one in the health category; it’s also the quickest resolution to fail.
We propose something different: A New Year’s evolution, rather than a resolution. An evolution of the idea behind the term resolution, which in this context, is defined as a promise to do an act of self-improvement or something nice for others beginning on New Year’s Day. Instead of an act, which usually has a beginning and an end, how about an evolution towards a choice? A choice that starts small and eventually grows into your normal routine over time.
Below are a list of choices you can make which will have much better outcomes over the long run, and much higher rates of success:
Nutrition
– Instead of a crash diet to look good as quickly as possible, start slow and make calculated eliminations from your normal diet and healthy additions which make you feel better on the inside and eventually look better on the outside as well. Slowly changing your diet for good may not get you to your goal weight in 20 days, but it will allow you to stick with it, and eventually feel and look much better for the long-run.
Exercise
– If you’ve never been to the gym or done strenuous exercise, don’t purchase a gym or unlimited exercise class membership and expect to go every day of the week. Start walking around your block or buy a jump rope if you don’t like the cold. Then graduate to more strenuous aerobic exercise over the course of a few weeks. Eventually your body will want more exercise and then you can join a gym or a class.
Stress
– Stress may very well be the root of all evil, but sharply cutting stress from your life may not be the best answer. Learning to manage the stresses currently in your life is a far healthier plan; practice breathing exercises to calm your body and mind during stressful periods. 6 breaths per minute for 5 minutes twice a day will surprisingly do the trick for many people. Once you can manage the stress in your life, you’ll have a better understanding of what you can leave in and what you need to cut out.
Current Health
– Understanding your health baseline can be an invaluable starting point for future improvement. Unfortunately an annual physical is not going to cut it, and insurance companies are not big fans of paying for prevention. Taking your health into your own hands can offer big rewards and payoffs in the future.
Future Health
– It’s been said that you only truly appreciate youth when you don’t have it anymore. Also, that you cannot truly appreciate health until you are sick. We don’t agree. If you are consciously working on your health not just for today but for the future, you will be able to enjoy the feeling of youth for much longer and have much less incidence of being “sick.” So start now by making some evolutionary choices and reap the benefits both today, tomorrow, next New Year’s and far into the future!