The new year is a time for resolutions and new beginnings. If you’re like most people, you probably want to start living a healthier lifestyle in the new year. But where do you start?
This article will give you some tips on how to jumpstart your health plan in the new year. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier you!
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Start right now
Starting your health plan in the very near future is not only wise but can also be quite rewarding. By getting a headstart on your goals, you’ll start to develop healthier habits before the beginning of the new year even arrives.
This then allows you to hit the ground running when January first arrives, and gives you an opportunity to test out what works best for you on your journey towards improved wellbeing.
Plus, if you get started right away, any mistakes and pitfalls will all be part of the learning experience! If you want to live a healthier life, why wait until the new year when you can start living your healthier life right now?
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Use diet to your advantage
While it’s great to tailor your diet to help you meet your specific weight or physical goals, it’s also important to pay attention to what you’re actually eating.
If your diet consists of mostly rice cakes and celery sticks, you simply won’t be giving your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and energized. That will inevitably lead to fatigue, mental fog, and even depression.
Instead, try to focus on eating whole and natural foods that will give your body the fuel it needs to stay active and healthy. Eating a balanced diet full of wholesome fruits, vegetables, complex carbs and proteins can have an immense impact not just on physical health but also mental wellbeing.
Combine a nutrient-dense diet with cannabis and you may just reach your weight loss goals even sooner. To learn more about the relationship between cannabis use and lower rates of obesity, check out this article on Veriheal.
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Set realistic goals
When the New Year hits, and you’re determined to jumpstart your health plan, all that enthusiasm can easily turn into motivation-loss when you set unrealistic goals. Without realistic goals to build off of, it becomes far too easy to give up entirely on any fitness plan or healthy eating regimen.
In order to ensure success as you begin your journey into good health, setting logical objectives is key. Taking small steps towards big goals is the most surefire way to guarantee progress, rather than being overwhelmed right out of the gate.
If you want to lose 100 pounds this year, you have to start by losing just one. Make that one pound your first baby-step, then lose five, then ten, and watch yourself fly as you build positive momentum from consistently achieving small, attainable goals!
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Make mental health a priority
Physical health is usually the main focus when it comes to anyone’s New Year’s Resolutions, but how important is a six-pack (really) when you’re anxious, self-loathing, and depressed? When you’re navigating these physical changes in your routine, don’t forget to also prioritize mental health.
When our minds aren’t in a place of balance and stability, any healthy intentions we have are difficult to achieve and sustain. So as you strive for whatever shape or size, ask yourself if it will make you feel empowered or just exhausted — then take adequate steps to ensure the former.
Achieving healthy physical change without also accounting for mental health is not sustainable or smart —so don’t be afraid to pick up that book, find a yoga class or just move away from stress-inducing people and places if necessary. That doesn’t mean to only seek out good feelings either —good mental health means growth, which is always uncomfortable.
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Don’t forget about proper rest
If you dive headfirst into a new exercise regimen, you’re going to go through a short adjustment period where you feel tired and sore —that’s normal. But if you consistently don’t get enough rest, your motivation will plummet, and you’ll start to experience burnout, letting all that hard work go to waste.
Make sure you get adequate sleep every night and allow time for rest days when your body needs it. As you begin to make changes, pay attention to how they impact your energy levels and potentially adjust as needed.
Conclusion
Jumpstarting your health plan in the new year should be a positive and empowering experience, as you take steps towards being healthier and more mindful of your wellbeing. By keeping realistic goals at the forefront, taking care of both physical and mental health, eating nutrient-rich foods, and allowing time for rest —you’re sure to achieve all of your health-related goals. Good luck!