As the holiday season comes to a close, more and more people begin to think about their New Year’s resolutions. Whether starting a healthier diet, trying new hobbies, or traveling more, it is common for people to struggle with sticking with their resolution.
One of the most common resolutions people establish is starting a healthier lifestyle for weight loss or to improve their overall health. From the convenience of fast food to the cost of organic produce, it’s no wonder why keeping this resolution seems so difficult. However, despite the ongoing challenges of sticking to your New Year’s resolution, it is possible to achieve your goals of healthier eating and living.
Start by making one small promise to yourself every day and keeping it. Once you build that trust in yourself, you can make bigger promises and bigger commitments for your health. Let’s review some helpful tips and tricks to help you stick to your 2022 resolution and establish healthy habits for the new year.
Write Down Your 2022 Goals
Planning and writing out your New Year’s resolutions is critical. Physically writing down your goals gives you something to reference throughout the year and helps keep you organized.
Establishing a goal only serves as a small part of achieving it. Planning out your new habits will help you determine how and when you can achieve your goals. It helps to plan out your new dietary habits and workout routines when losing weight.
By writing down your 2022 health goals, you have a convenient and physical reference for the rest of the year to help keep you on track and achieve your weight gain or loss goals.
Lose Weight With Better Eating Habits
When it comes to losing weight, changing your diet is key. Sticking to a whole foods diet remains one of the best ways to achieve weight loss and improve overall health. A whole foods diet includes brown rice, lean protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grain bread, and other nutrient-rich foods.
Incorporating healthier meals into your daily routine is not only beneficial for your weight goals but also for your overall health. For example, including fresh fruits, whole grains, and other healthy products into your daily diet helps to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Eat Better for the New Year
One of the biggest challenges people face when establishing healthier eating habits is avoiding fast food. Quick service restaurants make it easy for people with busy schedules to eat a quick meal. Despite the convenience, too much of these fried foods and packaged foods can contribute to various health complications like heart disease.
Meal planning helps those with busy schedules eat healthier throughout the week without going to the local drive-thru. For meal prep, switch up your recipes with various types of whole wheat pasta, fruits, and other healthy items. When you go to the grocery store, try to avoid high-sodium microwave meals or sugary snacks.
Try New Healthy Recipes
One of the biggest misconceptions about eating healthy stems from the idea that you don’t get to enjoy your food. With the right recipes, healthy foods can turn into favorite meals and help you lose weight in the new year.
When putting together a grocery list for the week, try to include some of your favorite healthy food items. Find seasonal recipes online that swap out white bread and white pasta for whole grains. By making half of your plate vegetables and including various types of proteins, you can create healthy yet delicious meals.
You will find thousands of healthy recipes to enjoy when looking to eat better. A popular recipe is baked lemon pepper chicken. Simply coat a serving of chicken breast in lemon juice, black pepper, and olive oil to create a low-calorie yet delicious and guilt-free meal.
Combine Healthy Eating With Regular Exercise
When it comes to establishing fitness-related resolutions, you need to do more than eat healthily. Regular exercise is critical for overall health. Most physicians recommend that you get at least 30 minutes of activity every day.
A good rule for daily exercise is participating in an activity for 30 minutes that raises your heart rate. This could include long walks, runs, weightlifting, swimming, or anything else that gets your heart beating faster.
By combining healthier meals with regular exercise and staying consistent, you can establish better health habits for 2022.
Sticking to your 2022 New Year’s resolutions can be challenging, but with the right support, you can achieve your health and fitness goals. Let the Penrose Physical Therapy in Lacey, WA help you establish healthier habits by calling 360-456-1444.
