With a new year, we all wish to embrace better habits than we have demonstrated in the past. The important thing to be aware of with any changes is that small, often gradual, ones are better than large ones.
Why is this?
It is because the more substantial the change, the greater the resistance to it. Even if we believe it’s what we want, our mind will fight us every step of the way with questions and doubts that might give us pause and stop positive change.
Therefore, small changes are more long-lasting (they tend to stick) instead of larger shifts in behavior. Accordingly, here are 4 changes to create a healthier you through this year.
1. Eat Breakfast Every Morning (Even When You’re Running Late)
No doubt you’ve heard it before, but we need it to really sink in this time.
Skipping breakfast is a bad habit. It leaves you sapped of energy and reaching for quick fixes like candy to survive through until lunchtime.
Power your body and mind with a nutritious breakfast that’ll supply the energy necessary to perform at your best. Whether you’re using machinery at work where attention to detail is required or facts and figures are your forte – supply your body with what it requires to get through the morning without running on a deficit.
2. Plan Lunch Too
Lunches and break times need some planning. If you previously used short-term fixes to satiate your hunger, see the earlier point above. Stock up on packets of healthy nuts or fruits, or a snack pack of small vegetables that you can enjoy at your desk or in the break-room at work.
For lunch, either bring a packed lunch or plan what you’ll buy and where from. Don’t continue to indulge in convenient restaurant lunches if you’ve done that previously – they’re filled with extra calories, fats and sugars, not to mention they’re overpriced too! Make healthier choices for lunchtime even if it takes a little longer.
3. Get a Better Night’s Rest
Not sleeping well creates chronic fatigue that can quickly affect your happiness, energy levels and ability to perform at work.
Ensure your bedroom is set up for you to get a good night’s sleep. The lights need to be low in the late evening if you’re reading and turned off completely when going to sleep. Avoid strenuous exercise shortly before bedtime because it will be more difficult to drift off.
Also, if your mattress is no longer providing you with the required level of support, check out these reviews of the best mattresses. There are mattress options for stomach, back, and side sleepers to promote greater rest through the night.
4. Start Exercising
Whether you’ve packed on a few pounds over the holiday season (you won’t be the only one) or you’re a healthy weight but not very fit due to a sedentary nature, it’s time to change that up.
Getting 30 minutes of exercise at least four-days-a-week promotes a healthy cardiovascular system and improves heart functioning. As long as the exercise is not undertaken late in the evening, it will help you to sleep better too.
If you haven’t exercised recently, then the key is to start slow. Walking for 15 minutes is a great start if you’re severely overweight and find any duration difficult. Similarly, walking for half an hour is good, but aim to move up to jogging when you feel able to do so.
By embracing a few simple habits that give your body a boost, you’ll start to feel healthier in the days and weeks to come. Try to do most of them every day, so they become a habit you do automatically after that.
