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For many people, January is when we make New Year\u2019s resolutions<\/a>, setting high goals to better ourselves. The resolutions run a wide array of topics but include everything from losing weight to increasing our regular exercise to changing our eating habits. But sadly, about 80% of people ditch their resolutions by February. Instead, adopting simple, healthy habits is a great way to prevent burnout!<\/p>\n Because we set ourselves up for failure when we focus on a bunch of major changes all at once, there\u2019s no shame in quitting. The problem is we want quick fixes with immediate outcomes. When we don\u2019t see results quickly, frustration hits, and burnout results. Then we give up.<\/p>\n Instead, a healthier life often happens by introducing healthy habits you incorporate into your daily routine slowly over time so your habits stick better.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re ready to try something different, you might want to adopt a new healthy habit. Building small habits to incorporate into your daily or weekly routine will make it easier to create long-term lifestyle habits. I\u2019ve listed some habits I like to focus on, with mini-challenges for each. These suggestions are also topics that consistently come up with guests on my podcast as non-negotiables for health.<\/p>\n Please resist the temptation to think, \u201cI should do all of these.\u201d Pick one to focus on. Try one of the challenges for ten weeks (about the time it takes to form a new habit). After completing it, reward yourself by setting a new goal (and maybe a small reward!). If you need some tips or inspiration for incorporating new habits, I put together this short podcast episode<\/a> to help!<\/p>\n Sleep is a non-negotiable for health. (Some sleep experts say it\u2019s even more important than diet and exercise<\/a> combined!) Sleep helps the body restore and heal, is vital for hormone production, improves mood, aids in weight loss, and more. In short, if you aren\u2019t sleeping, you aren\u2019t healthy.<\/p>\n Sleep is also free and is a pretty simple change to make<\/a> if you commit to it. Granted, some people do have trouble falling or staying asleep, but there are often simple remedies to help with this as well.<\/p>\n The Challenge:<\/strong> Start small. Think through your bedtime routine. What\u2019s the one thing you could change that would make the most impact right away?<\/p>\n Just like sleep, water is essential to digestion, mental health, toxin removal, and more. Water is typically free and available to all of us, though purified water can cost a little upfront if you invest in a quality water filter<\/a>.<\/p>\n But we don\u2019t just need water\u2026 we need water with minerals! Did you know that our bodies are made up of 60% water? It\u2019s not just water; it\u2019s salt water! Minerals are vital to our bodies, and I find when I add them to my water, my sleep and stress are much better.<\/p>\n Though there are as many theories on how much water to drink as there are brands of bottled water, some good rules of thumb are:<\/p>\n The Challenge<\/strong>: A generic \u201cI\u2019ll drink more water\u201d resolution will evaporate all too soon! Keep goals small and specific. An easy way to form a new habit is to tie it to some daily action already in the day, also called habit stacking<\/a>.<\/p>\n Although we often think of stress as a threat to our emotional and mental well-being, it can significantly impact our bodies in a variety of ways. It can cause high blood pressure, lead to weight gain, or wreak havoc on your digestive system and immune system. <\/p>\n When you\u2019re stressed, you increase your risk of all types of chronic diseases, including heart disease. It even causes premature aging! Reducing your stress is the ultimate in self-care.<\/p>\n Of course, adding \u201creduce stress\u201d to your to-do list isn\u2019t going to help much without actionable steps you can take. There are many things you can do to help lower your stress<\/a> but remember, we\u2019re starting with one small habit!<\/p>\n One stress-reducing habit I love to use is meditation and breathwork. They not only lower blood pressure, but they also help reduce stress, put us in a better mood, and give us energy. Both help our bodies enter parasympathetic mode, which is different than the fight-or-flight mode we often live in (sympathetic mode).<\/p>\n Don\u2019t feel like you have the time or space to meditate or breathe? There are simple breathwork exercises<\/a> you can do anywhere, even when you\u2019re sitting at a stop light or in traffic. Meditation<\/a> can be as short as five minutes to reap amazing benefits. You can even do it with your kids!<\/p>\n The Challenge:<\/strong> This is always a tough one to tackle because, as moms, it often feels like there\u2019s no time to step away and refocus<\/a>. But there are small changes you can make that don\u2019t require any time away for spa days (although I recommend those too if you can manage it!).<\/p>\n I\u2019m not a fan of the word \u201cexercise\u201d because of its negative connotation (picture monotonous walking for miles on a treadmill while watching a stress-inducing news channel). However, physical activity is so important for both our mental and physical health.<\/p>\n Movement should be a normal part of human life, yet many of us aren\u2019t getting enough. It should also be functional. Endless reps on an exercise machine don\u2019t mean anything if they aren\u2019t helping improve your daily life.<\/p>\n This is definitely an area you\u2019ll want to experiment with to find what works for you and what you enjoy. If you find a form of movement (or a few) you love, you\u2019ll be more likely to do it. For me, I\u2019ve been lifting weights (strength training) about three times a week, and I try to walk a few miles every day. It\u2019s a great way to get my heart rate up and helps maintain a healthy weight.<\/p>\n Also, it\u2019s good to focus on useful movements, such as:<\/p>\n The Challenge<\/strong>:\u00a0 Functional exercises like walking, sprinting, etc. are free! If you need to up your movement quota, experiment with some different forms until you find your favorite.<\/p>\n Healthy eating is a habit that has a major impact on your overall health. By cooking meals at home and avoiding the drive-through more often, you can improve your family\u2019s health by lowering the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n One of my favorite ways to set my family up for success with eating healthy is to plan meals for the week and spend time prepping. I set aside time each week to plan out recipes my family loves (and new ones to try!), and then I create a shopping list. This helps me stay on track. <\/p>\n I also spend several hours prepping things for the week ahead. Lately, I\u2019ve enjoyed a sort of capsule meal plan where I make standard proteins, sides, and veggies that can be combined to make meals throughout the week.<\/p>\n If your kids are older, like mine, you can involve them in the planning, shopping, prepping, and cooking. Obviously, what you can do for this one is based on the ages and stages of your kids.\u00a0 Even little kids can learn<\/a> chopping and other food prep skills! This could be as simple as having them set the table or helping to clear it, all the way to finding a recipe they want to cook and making it on their own. You can also have them help you choose the meals, pick out the groceries at the store, or prep the food.<\/p>\n Teaching your kids how to create and cook a healthy diet is a great tool you can give them when they\u2019re adults and live on their own. It also gives us the added benefit of time together! Plus, eating together is one of the most important things<\/a> you can do for your family\u2019s health.<\/p>\n The Challenge:<\/strong> Planning and prepping for meals can seem daunting. But if you start small and focus on one element at a time, you\u2019ll soon see how rewarding and easy it can be.<\/p>\n There\u2019s so much research about how beneficial sunlight <\/a>is for us. Most of us are deficient in vitamin D, which helps boost our moods and immune system. But sunlight does so much more for us than give us vitamin D! Getting morning sunlight, even for just ten minutes, helps balance hormones and circadian rhythm, lowers stress, and helps you sleep better.<\/p>\n I like to begin my day with some minerals or electrolytes outside on the front porch. When you sit outside, make sure your eyes are getting the rays too. I\u2019m not talking about staring directly at the sun, but don\u2019t wear sunglasses or glasses, as these reduce the benefit. You can close your eyes if you\u2019re sensitive and build up to keeping your eyes open.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s warm enough to go barefoot, you can also get some grounding<\/a> in at the same time! <\/p>\n The Challenge<\/strong>: Since it\u2019s best to get sunlight as early as possible in the day, try to get out early. I know it can be hard since mornings can be hectic. But taking even 5-10 minutes will have a big payoff.<\/p>\n Although these are the top healthy habits that make my list, don\u2019t feel the need to do them all at once.\u00a0<\/p>\n For the last several years, I\u2019ve stepped away from grand resolutions and instead focused on small, short-term goals or experiments<\/a>. This mindset shift from resolutions to daily healthy habits has really helped, and I find that bigger changes naturally follow. Not only has it helped me become more committed to a healthier lifestyle, but it\u2019s also helped my mental health.<\/p>\nFree or Low-Cost Healthy Habits for the New Year<\/h2>\n
1. Get Enough Sleep<\/h2>\n
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2. Drink Water<\/h2>\n
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3. Reduce Stress<\/h2>\n
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4. Move<\/h2>\n
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5. Healthy Eating<\/h2>\n
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6. Get Sunlight<\/h2>\n
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Building Healthy Habits\u00a0<\/h3>\n