So you want to make this the year you finally get and stay healthy. But will it go as planned? It’s not uncommon for people to have weight loss, fitness, and health-related resolutions. And while some do stick with their goals, many people don’t. In fact, 23 percent of people give up within their first week. Why does this happen so often, and what can we do about it?
This article will explore what you need to get right before you tackle your 2022 resolutions and then jump into seven healthy resolutions you can make. We’ll talk about everything from quitting smoking to choosing the right health supplements. Let’s get started.
Don’t Miss Out on Getting and Staying Healthy in 2022
If you want to get fit, lose weight or take your health to the next level, it all begins with taking your New Year’s resolutions seriously. These are seven things that might not seem important but will make the difference between a successful resolution and a failed one.
1. Make a Plan – “I’ll just eat less” or “I will walk every day” aren’t good enough when it comes to getting healthy. You need a concrete plan of action for your New Year’s resolution, including the type of food you will be eating, the time you will spend exercising, and a schedule for follow-up medical appointments. Being vague or wishy-washy with your plan is going to get you nowhere fast.
2. Plan Ahead – What? More planning? Yes, more planning! Part of planning means planning for setbacks. Your plan can’t exist in a vacuum. It needs to consider the challenges you will face and overcome them. For example, if you plan on going vegan but know it will be hard for your family to stay the course with you, plan family meals that meet everyone’s needs and tastes. This can be as simple as cooking some chicken to go along with everything else you’ve made. If your resolution is about reversing some negative health trends in your life, schedule regular visits with your doctor to monitor progress.
3. Find Accountability – Who are your cheerleaders? Who will encourage you when things get tough? This can be a friend, a member of your family, a personal trainer or anyone who will give you a swift kick up the backside when your resolve is faltering. If you don’t know anyone like this, sign up on a forum and make new friends. You may also want to consider paying a personal trainer or life coach to be this person.
4. Make It Personal – You need to choose resolutions meaningful to you and inspire you to take action each day. When choosing your New Year’s resolutions for 2022, think carefully about which ones are the most important to you. They should be achievable but challenging enough to take some effort on your part. If you don’t have any personal reasons to do something, you won’t stick with it.
5. Make It SMART – A goal isn’t a goal if it’s not specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This means that your resolutions need to touch on these areas to be successful. For example: instead of “I want to eat better,” try “I will reduce my red meat intake to once a week.” You can’t just say “I want to get healthy” when you haven’t outlined what that means.
6. Choose the Right Health Supplements – Your New Year’s resolutions are important but so are your health supplements. Unfortunately, not all supplements are created equal, and not all of them will work for you or even help you. If you’re planning on taking natural probiotics, start out by reading best-reviewed products. This can also apply to multivitamins, specialized vitamins and minerals like magnesium supplements, and more.
7. Have Fun! – Remember why you’re doing this. Yes, it’s important, but if you don’t enjoy the process, then chances are you’ll give up in a month or two. So instead, find ways to make your resolutions fun and interesting to keep yourself motivated. For example, set up a goal to learn how to play an instrument or take cooking classes in the new year.
Seven Healthy New Year’s Resolutions for 2022
Now that you know what not to do when planning your resolution, let’s talk about what you should be doing. Here are seven of the most popular and healthiest New Year’s resolutions for 2022:
1. “I will learn to love my kitchen.” – There’s only one way to eat healthier, and that’s cooking your own food. So stop microwaving dinners or ordering greasy takeout. Instead, make it a resolution to cook and prepare as much as possible and learn as many healthy recipes as you can along the way. This is also a great activity to bring the rest of the family in on so that you can all learn and grow healthier together.
2. “I will make more time for exercise.” – Whether at the gym or at home, you need to make time for your physical health. When you say, “I don’t have time for that,” you’re really saying, “my physical health isn’t a priority.” If your health isn’t a priority, you aren’t because what do you have without your health? If you’ve never scheduled time for exercise before, start simple with two 30-minute blocks per week. Aim to increase that to every day of the week by the time you hit June. Then, maintain it for the rest of the year. Remember, sustainability is essential here, and going full throttle out of the gates will only wear you down and make it more likely that you’ll give up.
3. “I will be kind to myself.” – One of the reasons that New Year’s resolutions fail is that people take on too much at once. If you’re using your healthy resolutions as an excuse to restrict yourself and punish yourself for so-called poor eating, then chances are it will backfire very quickly. One of the best things you can do is stop engaging in negative self-talk and build your self-esteem. Whenever you hear that inner voice critiquing you or your choices, look in the mirror and say, “I won’t do this to myself today,” and follow up with positive action.
4. “I will take care of my mind.” – If you’re not taking care of your mind, then all those negative thoughts will build up and cause you to quit. This is where activities like meditation, self-care routines like reading a favorite book and specific brain health supplements all come in handy. Ensuring you take care of your mental health above all else is essential to having a healthy 2022.
5. “I will get out and experience nature.” – Spending more time outside is yet another great way to improve your mental and physical well-being. They say that stepping into nature is like receiving a natural high. In Japan, they have a practice called Shinrin-Yoku, or forest bathing, a form of nature therapy that is widely practiced and believed to have numerous health benefits. This is also a fantastic way to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, which can cause stress, fatigue, and anxiety.
6. “I will spend more time with my pet.” – If you love animals and have a pet, take time out each day to look after them and spend some quality time together. Science has shown us there are psychosocial benefits to human-animal interaction that positively impact our health and well-being. It’s important to understand that all animals can offer us something meaningful. Spending time together is a great way to strengthen your bond.
7. “I will make my health a priority.” – This is the only resolution you need. How can you expect to feel at your best if you’re not doing everything possible to take care of your mind, body, and soul? There are many ways to improve all three, and the possibilities are endless. You just have to be willing to plan and then do what it takes to get there.
Keep Calm and Carry on
You are the only one in charge of your health, and the resolutions above need your personal touch to make them practical for you. While making it a priority in 2022 with solid New Year’s resolutions, it’s important to remember to approach the entire process calmly and patiently, and with an element of humor. You can’t change everything overnight, but if you take it a day at a time and keep moving forward towards your goals, then nothing will stop you from being the best version of yourself possible.
Happy New Year!
