It’s the New Year and it’s time for a new you! The best way to stay focused on your health throughout the year is to set practical, foundational goals, and create a plan to help yourself stick to them. Here are a few health-related resolutions you should consider.
Appreciate the Body God Gave You
By recognizing your body as a gift from God — no matter what shape you’re in — probably the most positive resolution that you can choose to do is to make it a point to appreciate the body that the Lord gave you. If you’d like to research others who are working to appreciate their bodies as they are, look up the term “Body Positive.” Join the millions who are learning to love their bodies as they are and not hate what they have. Take time every day to thank God for giving you life.
Educate Yourself on Macro and Micro Nutrients
Are you tired of fad diets? So are experts! They’re as frustrated as you are with the keto diet, cleanses, and everything else because extreme diets just do not work long term. Instead, they’re suggesting that you work with a doctor to understand your personal nutritional needs and then to educate yourself on macro and micro nutrients. That means that if you’re going to do a cleanse, for example, you know what exactly those nutrients are being converted to in your body–for better or for worse.
Don’t Reward Yourself With Food
This year, instead of celebrating your good moments and holidays solely with food, decide early on in the year to celebrate with non-food related rewards. Start to train yourself to enjoy the gifts of self care and time spent doing good things that make you happy. So if, for example, you have a good event happen at work, instead of going out for dinner, organize doing an escape game or a local basketball game with your friends.
Find an Exercise You Enjoy
Don’t enjoy exercising? Chances are you just haven’t found one that works well for you. If money is an issue, start trying second-hand videos or researching new options on YouTube. If you’re able, join a gym that has different machines and classes that you can try. Perhaps you will love swimming, Zumba, or simply using the elliptical. Whatever you do, look for something you enjoy as you’re more likely to stick to it.
Two are Better Than One
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” You probably don’t think about this verse in terms of exercise and health, but it absolutely makes a strong case for accountability and support. What keeps a lot of people from keep their exercise and health goals is that they are trying to keep them alone. Are you really serious about doing it right this year? Find an accountability partner who is also committed to making strides in their health and partner up with them. Maybe it’s a friend you walk around the neighborhood with a couple times a week, a co-worker who shares your goal of drinking more water at work, or neighbors who can participate in a healthy recipe or dinner swap, there are a lot of ways to help support your health goals by not trying to do it alone.
