The Perfect Prep for Healthy Habits
It’s January and after a month of indulging, you decide 2022 is going to be the year of health, fitness, saving money and sticking to your goals. You excitedly proclaim your resolutions to yourself, and maybe even to your friends, and continue enjoying your night, knowing that tomorrow is a new day, a new year and a new you.
Does this sound familiar?
New Year’s resolutions are a tired tradition. Though goals and ambitions are important, the art of setting resolutions can be problematic. Statistics surrounding resolutions are all but bright and sunny, and following their simple logic, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Not only will 75% of resolutions fail by February, with only 8% accomplishing them, but the effects of not accomplishing them can be far worse than not having set them at all.[1]
If the stats are so negative, then why set resolutions at all?
The main issue with resolutions is that they do not imply a long-term behavioural change, but rather suggest a one-off goal, that once accomplished, will significantly improve your life. New Year’s resolutions are often impulsive and lack any preparation or plan, easily leading to failure.
We often don’t think of the preparation involved in creating new habits. So, Nelsons® arnicare® has a few tips and tricks to help you implement healthy lifestyle changes easily:
1. How to drink more water:
We all know how important staying hydrated is, but many of us know we don’t drink enough. In a survey conducted by Britvic, 62% of people admitted to not drinking enough water.[2] So, to help you stay more hydrated, maybe go to sleep with a bottle or glass of water next to your bed, that way it’s right there for you when you wake up. Similarly, place a large water bottle in your main living spaces. We recommend a bottle with a straw if you have one, as you’re more likely to drink more![3] There are also plenty of Water Reminder Apps you can get to send you notifications on your phone.
2. How to exercise more:
Though we might have every intention of waking up and working out in the morning, it often isn’t all that easy when the temptation to snooze that alarm kicks in. Things like laying out your gym clothes the night before or setting up a home workout space with your mat, weights etc. the night before can help you feel more motivated when you wake up. Sometimes the length of a workout can put us off. Maybe try splitting it up throughout the day. Instead of a time-consuming workout, you could try a 15 minute morning yoga flow in the morning and a 15 minute HIIT workout at lunch or after work.
3. How to eat healthier food:
Eating healthy is all about prep and convenience. Stock up on cupboard staples such as tinned beans, whole grain pasta, brown rice and some whole grain bread or wraps. Frozen veg is also a must, as you can buy a larger variety, it’s cheaper and it’ll last you a lot longer. It’s so easy to reach for processed food when there’s nothing in the fridge, so meal prepping is a great way to ensure you always have something healthy to reach for instead. Try setting out an hour or two at the weekend to prep some meals for the week. We know it can be boring eating the same thing every day, but you could also vary your prep by making 2-3 different dishes to alternate throughout the week and freezing anything leftover. Remember not to be restrictive though – a healthy diet is all about balance!
4. How to reduce screen time:
With remote working, online study and more time at home, we’ve likely all seen our screen time increase drastically over the past year. Though there’s great way to reduce screen time when working or studying, we can make an effort to reduce screen time outside of that. You can set a limit on your phone and give yourself a specific time of day to watch TV. You could also put your phone in another room before you go to sleep, so that it’s not the first thing you look at when you wake up, and maybe get a physical alarm clock instead.
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashiraprossack1/2018/12/31/goals-not-resolutions/#217e37b83879
[2] https://www.billi-uk.com/why-arent-we-drinking-enough-water/
[3] https://www.runnersworld.com/women/a20812327/5-tips-to-increase-your-water-intake/#:~:text=This%20seems%20silly%2C%20but%20when,help%20it%20go%20down%20faster.
