Different people may feel differently about making New year resolutions. You may even be vehementally against the whole idea. But, at the core of it, the main aim of resolutions is to start fresh, get rid of the old habits, and start a bunch of new healthy habits that can help us keep ourselves on track this year.
One way to make it easier to stick to your new year resolution is to make sure that you don't overwhelm yourself with too many of them at once.
It also helps to not pressurise yourself, and instead, take things slow and still mark it all done at the end of the year.
Here are some great new year resolutions you should consider making for a new you this new year.
Move More
The last two years have been tough on all of us but it has also forced us all to stay at home and limit our movements and physical activity.
The best way to counter this is to make a conscious effort to move more.
Taking a few minutes out in the day to walk around every 2 hours of work, stretch your muscles in between meetings, can go a long way.
Participate in Your Favourite Physical Activity
As mentioned above, physical inactivity can have various negative effects on the body and can take a toll on your mental health as well.
If you're someone who doesn't like working out, try getting your does of exercise through sport that you may enjoy like swimming, badminton, cycling, skating, etc.
Make sure you don't do this only as a part of the routine, but also make it a lasting enjoyable habit.
Cut Down Sugary Foods
At this point, we don't need to count all the reasons why sugar loaded foods are a big no no.
According to the US NIH, excess sugar in the diet increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance, etc.
But knowing isn't the same as doing.
So, this new years make a resolution to make a conscious effort to cut down on sugar and choose healthy alternatives like fruits, yogurt, jaggery, smoothies and home-made popsicles.
More Home-cooked Meals
According to PubMed Central, people who have a habit of cooking at home and enjoying their home-cooked food, are less at risk of obesity or weight gain, and have healthier eating habits.
Start this year by planning your meals a day in advance and start by preparing a few meals until you get comfortable in preparing all your meals all by yourself. It might seem inconvenient at first, but you'll get the hang of it soon enough.
What's more, not only is home cooking health friendly, but also pocket friendly!
Practice Mindfulness
Everyone's mental health has been tested in the last couple of years during the pandemic and it has made us realise how important it is to take care of your mental health. One way is to make mindfulness a part of your lifestyle.
It can be a slow start and you will be more invested when you get to experience the results on your own. Start by meditating, journaling, mindful eating, being grateful and practicing deep breathing.
Limit Your Screen Time
Screens have been our friends and have slowly morphed into our constant companions.
It is high time, we realise patterns of cell phone addiction and try to limit our screen time.
For some of us, our work involves sitting in front of the computers all day long but our options for entertainment do not have to be the same.
Choose a book, a quick run, family time and fun game nights over watching movies, playing video games or doomscrolling. This can be more peaceful and mentally healthy option.
Get Quality Sleep
Stress, work from home, too much screen time can also lead to long nights of sacrificed sleep. Bad sleeping patterns can lead to weight gain, depression and heart diseases among other issues.
Make sure to get 6-8 hours of sleep minimum, and exclude habits that prevent you from doing so. It is also important that you do not sleep more than required in the chilly weather, though it can be very tempting to stay put tucked in our warm cocoons for longer!
Visit Your Doctor Regularly
We really hope the pandemic and the sudden spike in medical emergencies have made you more aware of the importance of keeping a check on your health. People do not visit call on their doctors unless they experience any symptoms, but many diseases can be asymptomatic that might not come to the surface until later stages.
Therefore, it is best to visit your doctor regularly and take your family for medical check-ups as well.
(This article is for your general information only. Before trying out any remedy, or treatment, FIT advises you to consult a qualified medical professional.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)