5 Healthy Habits to Keep You in Shape for the New Year

It’s always exciting to create health resolutions following the over-indulgent holiday season. This new year, instead of giving up on your goals a week in, stick to this motto: “New year, new me — for real.”

Here’s where you can start.

1. Start exercising.

Your body functions best when it is physically active. Each day, try to allocate at least 15 to 30 minutes of your time to exercise. Whether it’s in the form of walking, cleaning, or going all-out at the gym, regular exercise drastically improves your sleep quality, cognitive function, metabolism, and stress levels.

2. Eat more natural and whole foods.

You need to commit to a healthy, balanced diet if you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle. Instead of ordering take-out for dinner and relying on processed food, start adapting to natural and whole foods. Nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts provide the fiber, protein, and vitamins your body needs. This also includes swapping out refined grains for whole grains whenever possible.

3. Drink more water.

You’ve heard this time and time again, but truly, one of the healthiest things you can do for your health and body is to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Besides keeping your body well hydrated, drinking water can help you with digestion, weight loss, and detoxification. Fact is, much like food, water also acts as the fuel your body needs to function. Instead of quenching your thirst with juices, alcohol, and sodas — make water your go-to drink to lead a healthier life.

4. Get an adequate amount of sleep.

A good night’s sleep is crucial to a healthy lifestyle. Getting sufficient sleep not only helps the brain and body relax, but it also restores your energy. Lack of sleep affects your overall health as it increases your risk of various medical conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and stroke. As much fun as it is to stay up late watching TV shows, try to commit to a minimum of seven hours of sleep every night. Sleep benefits your heart, weight, and mind, meaning the amount of sleep you get is equally as important as your diet and exercise.

5. Spend more time with the people you love.

It’s quite ironic how technology makes it so much easier to connect with people, yet succeeds in keeping us further apart. Because of social media and other addicting forms of online content, we often end up missing out on our lives. Spending time with family and friends is essential and has profound health benefits. Not only does it strengthens ties, but it also reduces stress, anxiety, and depression while nurturing positive behaviors. People who have active and real-life social networks have been linked to much better mental and physical health.

If you are determined to live a life driven by wellness, start cultivating these simple habits to ensure that you maintain a healthy body and mind.