Some Health Resolutions to Add and Some to Take off your New Year’s List

Every year we make some New Year’s Resolutions.  Most aren’t kept for long.  In fact, about 75% of us last a week, less than half of us last 6 months.  But setting goals for yourself is a good idea.  Some nutritionists got together and came up with some New Year’s Resolutions you should not put on your list.  And they give some guidance of how to set some health goals for 2019 that are more likely to be successful. 

Setting goals – when setting goals for the coming year, make them very specific, small and ones you can measure.

     1.   Exercise:  a top resolution is “exercising more”

• Don’t say:  I will exercise more.
• Do say:  I will go for a walk at lunch for 20 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
• Don’t say:  I will join a gym.
• Do Say:  I will sign up for the yoga class that meets on Saturday morning at 9 AM and will go every Saturday for 10 weeks.

 2. Healthy Eating:  another top resolution is eating healthier food.  Sticking to 1-2 small changes that are realistic will lead to success.  Note what the change is and WHEN you will do it. Focus on adding healthy foods to your diet and not on deletions.

• Don’t say:  I will eat healthier in 2019.
• Do say:

• I will pack my MyPlate lunch and bring to work on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  I will eat out for lunch only on Fridays.
• I will eat a piece of fruit at lunch every day.
• I will bring some yogurt in my lunch every day to eat at lunch or as a snack.
• I will drink a glass of 100% juice every day for breakfast.

Enjoy some 100% juice every day.

  3.  Eating out

• Don’t Say:  I won’t eat out anymore. 
•  Do Say: 
• When I eat out, I will share dessert.
•  I will enjoy the bread basket.
• When I eat out, I won’t order fried food, but roasted, broiled or baked. 
• I won’t order sweetened tea or soda but unsweetened tea or just drink plain water.

Enjoy some unsweetened tea.

The focus of your health goals for 2019 should be on lifestyle changes and not on fad diets or quick weight-loss schemes.  Make some small changes like the idea of eating fruit at lunch every day.  Choose changes that you can easily succeed at, yet goals that will lead to a healthier you.  For example, my sister was told by a health professional to add a vegetable to her lunch every day.  My sister did as it was an easy thing to do, but oh so good for her health.  What simple, easy health goals will you set for yourself in 2019?

Pack some fresh fruit in your lunch.

Sources:  week, months, nutritionists, exercising more, WHEN  Images:  Apples , 100% Juice , tea