It is January already and Christmas and New Year\u2019s seem like distant memories.\u00a0 Many of us make ambitious resolutions on New Year\u2019s with plans of losing weight, exercising more, and eating better.\u00a0 We approach January with optimism and enthusiasm and all goes well, for a while.\u00a0 By late January, we\u2019re no longer going to the gym, by February, fast food wrappers litter our cars, and by March we\u2019re busy making plans for St. Patrick\u2019s Day revelry.\u00a0 So – How are you doing on your New Year\u2019s resolutions??<\/p>\n
If you have fallen short of your goals, don\u2019t despair.\u00a0 Perhaps your goals were a bit too ambitious and making smaller changes might help you reach your long-term goals more successfully.\u00a0 Here are a few tips to get you back on track to living a healthier, happier life:<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, many of us are tied to our desks and anchored to our cars.\u00a0 Our modern lifestyles don\u2019t allow for any significant physical activity on a regular basis.\u00a0 This means you need to make a conscious effort to move your body.\u00a0 An easy way to do this is by joining a gym and hiring a trainer.\u00a0 Some gyms and trainers can be very affordable and can yield big dividends.\u00a0 There are also outdoor \u201cboot camps\u201d and running and cycling clubs where you can meet new people, explore interesting routes, and get some great exercise.\u00a0 The easiest way to move more is by walking.\u00a0 You can walk to work, take the stairs at the office, walk on your lunch break, or walk in your neighborhood.\u00a0 One fun way to challenge yourself to move more is by getting a pedometer and tracking your steps each day.\u00a0 Many pedometers have features that allow you to compete with your friends to see who can rack up the most steps in a day.\u00a0 The newer iPhones have a built in \u201cHealth\u201d app that tracks your steps and the number of stairs you climb.\u00a0 Regardless of what you choose to do, moving more will make you feel better.\u00a0 It will help reduce your stress, cause you to literally breathe easier, lose weight, and even sleep better.<\/p>\n
Your brain and body need sleep so that you can face the challenges of the day ahead.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t get enough sleep, your brain won\u2019t be refreshed and you will have more difficulty concentrating.\u00a0 If you have suffered an injury or are sick, it will take your body longer to repair if you aren\u2019t getting enough sleep.\u00a0 It is important to exercise \u201cgood sleep hygiene.\u201d\u00a0 Make sure your bedroom is cool and dark, free of distractions, and comfortable.\u00a0 Avoid doing things like playing video games, exercising, and arguing before bed.\u00a0 Instead, have a small snack before bed, read a bit, meditate, or engage in some other relaxing activity before you go to sleep.\u00a0 Be sure to allow yourself enough time to sleep.\u00a0 I think the ideal amount of time to sleep is 7-8 hours a night.\u00a0 If you are exercising a lot or under stress, you may need more sleep.\u00a0 Try a few different sleep times to see what works best for you \u2013 and keep the same bedtime all week long.<\/p>\n
Our bodies need hydration.\u00a0 Alcohol, sugary drinks, and diet sodas aren\u2019t healthy.\u00a0 Although you may choose them in moderation, they aren\u2019t a good replacement for water.\u00a0 If you find plain water boring, try some of the naturally flavored waters that have only \u201cessence\u201d in them or opt for carbonated water.\u00a0 Read labels carefully to make sure they don\u2019t contain high fructose corn syrup, honey, cane sugar, or other artificial ingredients or sweeteners.\u00a0 One healthy option is to put Nuun All Day tablets in your water.\u00a0 Nuun is an all natural, calorie-free flavoring for water.\u00a0 The regular Nuun is used by athletes to replenish depleted electrolytes.\u00a0 It has too much sodium for daily usage, so opt for the \u201cAll Day\u201d version of Nuun to hydrate you during the day.<\/p>\n
This might be the most important change you can make.\u00a0 My motto is \u201cOnly Eat Good Food.\u201d\u00a0 Read all labels to see what is in the food you are putting in your body.\u00a0 If you can\u2019t pronounce it, don\u2019t eat it!\u00a0 Check the fat, sugar, and sodium content.\u00a0 Try to avoid fast foods as much as possible.\u00a0 Instead, try to eat whole foods \u2013 fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.\u00a0 There are many resources available about what to eat and when to eat it.\u00a0 Avoid fad diets and search for sensible solutions to your nutritional challenges.\u00a0 Sometimes, an appointment with a dietician is all you need to help fine-tune your diet.\u00a0 If you think of the food you eat as \u201cfuel\u201d to get you through your day, you can see how what you eat really matters.\u00a0 Donuts and candy aren\u2019t \u201cfuel\u201d for anything.\u00a0 They just cause your blood sugar to spike and make you gain weight.\u00a0 Given all you have to do in your life, wouldn\u2019t you rather spend your time eating food that will help you accomplish what you want to achieve?<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a \u201cplanner\u201d and a \u201cdoer.\u201d\u00a0 I have a hard time remaining present and relaxed.\u00a0 One of my resolutions last year was to appreciate my life more and focus on all the good things.\u00a0 I started keeping a \u201cJoy Journal\u201d at the beginning of January.\u00a0 I bought a little journal that I write in at the end of every day.\u00a0 I only list good things, things that delighted me, things that made me smile or made me happy.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t write bad things or complaints in it.\u00a0 When I do have a bad day, I can just look at my Joy Journal and see how many good days I\u2019ve had and know that whatever is troubling me is sure to pass.\u00a0 This Resolution worked so well last year that it is now part of what I do every day \u2013 focus on the good and embrace the joy.<\/p>\n
Although our lives seem to be increasingly complex and fast paced with numerous demands on our time and attention, it is likely that our lives will be longer too because of the improvements in safety and healthcare.\u00a0 So, why not enjoy every day and live your life with a healthy, happy body?\u00a0 A wise friend of mine once told me \u201cthe best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time to plant a tree is today<\/span>.\u201d\u00a0 So, what are you doing today<\/strong> to increase and enhance your health and happiness?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1930,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[128,127,86],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1066"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1066"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3242,"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1066\/revisions\/3242"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nelsonboydlaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}