By this time every year, many of us have resigned ourselves to letting our good eating, sleeping and exercise intentions slip away until the new year begins.
The reason it happens is almost always because we put others first. In the whirlwind of Thanksgiving, holiday parties, shopping, decorating and baking, we give up what we need the most. Our bodies know, giving us the signals that it’s time to “clean house.”
There’s nothing wrong with making New Year’s resolutions – but instead, this year, why not try “new you resolutions” that aren’t tied to a date on the calendar?
Here are some tips for setting your new you resolutions:
Give yourself permission now to think about yourself. It may sound strange, but this really is the first step. Your health is critical – not only to your own physical and mental well-being, but to the functioning of your entire family.
Be willing to invest time and a little money. You already know that healthy eating takes some advance planning. It may require time for researching ideas and recipes, planning meals, shopping, and prepping ingredients or even cooking certain meal elements ahead of time. Likewise, sticking to an exercise routine will take some time from each day and may require a few expenses. Commit yourself – put exercise on the calendar and any added expenses to your budget. You only get one body. It’s worth it.
Try something new. Need an easy exercise that you can do virtually any time, at home, that works every cell in your body? Get yourself a mini trampoline with high-quality springs that will last. Prop it up against a wall and take it out any time to literally get a jump on your day. It’s easy enough for anyone to do and it’s deceptively tiring. Start with just two to three minutes and work your way up gradually to about 10 minutes. You’ll work every muscle in your body and get your heart pumping. Your skin will be flushed, your internal organs will be rejuvenated and you’ll feel invigorated. You’ll want to eat better, sleep more and take good care of your skin.
Start each day off right. Many of us think we “need” caffeine or sugar or both to get us going in the morning, when in fact, these stimulants cause more harm than good. For those looking for a new habit, drink one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar each morning in water with honey. This combo helps fight acidity, keeps your body more alkaline, helps control and normalize weight, and aids digestion.
Realize that there’s no right time to start. Whether you make changes this week or January 1, it’s never too late to put yourself first and improve your health – but the sooner, the better.
