Make Your Health a Priority

Make Your Health a Priority

Text "Make Health a Priority in 2023" on the left and red strike with text "No More New Year Resolutions" on the right

Many of us start the year with good intentions. We want to make positive changes. Some of those changes often include making health a priority.

Every year, many of us make all sorts of new year resolutions. But are those resolutions achievable or are they too lofty? Do we forget after a few weeks? Did they go on the back burner until we have more time? All too often, we drop them because the resolution was too hard to keep. So how do you make your health a priority this year?

Don’t Make Resolutions, Create Goals

Some resolutions are too big and rigid. Resolutions become all or nothing. And, they usually don’t include a clear path to achieve them. Then as soon as you stray, you give up. Do you make a resolution every year to lose a lot of weight? Then do you give up as soon as you eat something on your forbidden list?

It is better to set goals. Create reasonable targets that you can reach. Be realistic. When you reach that first target, then aim for that next target. If the goals are too far out of reach, adjust them. Small successes can be encouraging.

If your goal is to change a bad health habit, set a realistic goal. If you can’t quit all at once, try stepping it down in moderation. Don’t let that one drink, one cigarette, or one cupcake be the reason why you give up.

If you want to lose weight, target to lose only a small amount of weight by a certain point in time. List different methods to achieve that goal instead of just limiting calories. Then that single bite of cheesecake is no longer an excuse to give up. When you reach that first target, then set another target. Can the target be larger next time? Can the timeline be shorter the next round?

If you made a resolution to stop drinking alcohol, don’t give up on that resolution as soon as you take one drink. If you can’t stop all at once, then set a goal to reduce how much you drink. Try a non-alcoholic beer or sparkling wine.

Create a Routine

Create patterns and reminders that helps you work towards those goals. Do you need to set a timer? Can you plan it with a certain event? Can you do it the same time every day? Is it something you can do just before you go to bed or as soon as you get up? Don’t get discouraged if you forget or miss a step. Just get back into the routine as soon as you can.

If you were only drinking a couple of glasses of water a day last year, it will be hard to expect to drink eight glasses of water every day starting on Jan 1st. But what if you set a goal to drink four glasses a day over the next few weeks? Incorporate that drink of water into your daily routine. Drink a glass of water with each meal. Then when four glasses of water become a routine, set a new goal to drink six glasses of water. Eventually, you will get to those eight glasses of water a day.

Find Additional Perks of Making Your Health a Priority

If your goal is to stop or limit the amount of alcohol you drink, identify additional benefits. You could be surprised at how much money and calories you save by limiting how much alcohol you drink. Your sleeping habits could improve. You may even become an inspiration for someone else.

Look for the positive reasons to support that goal. Once you started losing weight, was it easier to go up the stairs? Did your blood pressure go down? Can you spend more time playing with kids or pets before tiring out? Are you less stressed in your daily activities?

Unless the weather is really bad or you have physical limitations, do you really need to drive in circles looking for the closest parking spot? Parking farther away adds some walking steps that day. And the added perk is avoiding dings on your car from runaway shopping carts clustered near the entrance.

Identify the Triggers of that Bad Habit

What are the triggers that created that habit? If you want that drink because of stress from work, how can you minimize those stressors? Is it time to change departments? Is it time to look for a new job?

Once you understand those triggers, then work to squash those triggers. If you are a stress eater, how can you minimize the stress? Or, can you find a healthier way to reduce that stress? Yelling into a pillow or hitting a tennis ball can relieve more stress than running to that all-you-can-eat buffet.

If you feel there is not enough time in the day, can you ask (or pay) someone to help with some of those tasks instead of indulging in that bad habit for comfort? Once you recognize what triggered the habit you want to change, it becomes much easier to change that habit.

Look for Different Ways to Make Your Health a Priority

Can you pump some weights or do some steps while you watch the game or that favorite program on tv? Instead of playing online sports games, go play the game in person somewhere. Will you reach for that glass of water instead of wine? Can you take the stairs instead of the elevator? Try grabbing an apple instead of that donut. Some people cannot last an hour on the treadmill but they can walk around for three hours shopping at the mall.

Let’s Support Each Other on Our Health Journeys

As usual, please consult a doctor before starting or adjusting your health program. Make sure to take your individual needs and health into consideration. Don’t look for one-size-fits-all program. Set realistic goals that fit you.

Avoid fitness apps and devices that collect your data. Research them before you use them. Protect your health data.

It could take several weeks or more to create a new habit. It could take longer to break a bad habit. Stick with it. Let’s find ways to support each other. Find ways to keep each other on target. It is time to make your health a priority!

 

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