Haylee Carlyle

Happy New You Another year, another promise to be healthy. 80% of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions. And we know why - it’s hard! In the next decade, we’re looking at trends in lifestyle medicine, which is a holistic way of looking at your health through not just fitness and nutrition, but emotional wellbeing, preventative care, sustainable diets and realistic goals. People are figuring out that weight loss isn’t the marker of good health - far from it. Implementing wellness into every aspect of your life not only makes things like exercising and eating well easier and more appealing through consistent behavior, it keeps you proactive in taking care of all sectors of your physical and mental health. But, starting is the hardest part. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with recipe blogs and fitness fads. We’re here to help you figure out the very first steps you need to take on your path to a wholly healthy 2020 and beyond. Set a goal We know, we know. Obvious. But there’s an optimized way to do this. ● One​ at a time here. What most people are battling these days on their wellness journey is burnout. Setting a bunch of huge and likely unrealistic goals is just going to exacerbate your stress levels and discourage you from continuing when you don’t meet them. ● Begin with a focus on ​small, easily-implemented​ habits. This step is centered on changing your internal narrative about health - how difficult, how time-consuming you think a health journey will be. ● So start with your ​priority​. Is it nutrition? Maybe for you that means beginning by seeing a nutritionist, or simply curating some healthy recipes and planning to make at least one a week. ● When you’ve got one good habit down, move on to the next. Make finding a means of exercise you actually enjoy a goal - say you’ll try 3 new exercises a month until you do. Get organized Make a spreadsheet, write in a planner, make lists in your favorite note app or outline your week in a digital calendar. Here, you can go as basic as the Google calendar and Apple Reminders apps or up your organization game with list tools like Trello or Asana. If you need a little more art or stimulation in your planning stage, Canva offers a variety of free (and fun) planner templates. Organizing will help you stay committed and keep you from feeling like there’s more to accomplish than there actually is because you’re keeping it all in your head. This is a time to make some detailed decisions like what means of exercise fits your lifestyle and personality best. We’re seeing a rise in at-home workouts with things like Peloton and Mirror. If you think working out at home is going to make you more likely to do it, schedule accordingly. If you’re the kind of person who needs others to hold you accountable for your fitness goals, consider joining a gym or studio. This step is about hacking your brain, however it works, with enough preparation to stay motivated long enough to make what initially feels like a chore, a habit. Make predictions Obstacles are bound to come up on a new path to health and wellness. Figuring out what they might be based on experiences with goals you’ve set before is an important step in mitigating the difficulty of creating new habits. If you’re worried about the time it takes to cook or go to the gym, plan to meal prep on a day you’re usually free and designate a space in your home for workouts when you know the weather will keep you from getting out. What’s an easy way to get in some extra steps if you do miss a workout? Can you keep some frozen fruit and spinach on deck for a quick smoothie if you’ve fallen short of your nutrients during the day? This approach to a healthy kick start is all about what works best for you and that takes a lot of introspection to figure out. Don’t rush into a routine or a diet that you’re not positive you can stick to. And be nice to yourself. Wellness is no longer about depriving yourself of an entire food group or meticulously counting calories. Those practices aren’t sustainable and they won’t make you happy. And that’s the most important part - eat healthy things you enjoy, find a workout you’re excited about. Don’t forget that you’re only human. Congratulations on taking the initiative to do this research on beginning a healthy lifestyle - now you’re ready to set a goal. As always, consult with your doctor before you drastically change your diet or fitness regimen. You can book your annual physical right here on LabFinder to get the go-ahead. Book a physical: [link]