Ten healthy habits to get your 2022 off to the best start

More often, we make health and wellness resolutions that are highly restrictive and unsustainable, which we end up breaking within a few weeks. The key is to make resolutions that cannot only improve health, but also be followed for life. ANN WAIRIMU compiles some changes you can make and keep.

1.Incorporate self-care into your daily routine

Self-care looks different for everyone, but the idea of self-care is to make sure you pick something to do for yourself each day.

Taking time for solitude and reflection can decrease stress and improve your overall outlook.

It can also set a more peaceful tone for your day, particularly if you do it first thing in the morning.

If you aren’t sure where to begin, consider starting your day with meditation.

Read a novel while you drink your morning coffee. Turn off your phone and simply watch the birds out your window while you eat breakfast. 

2. Step away from your digital devices

Being available 24/7 is stressful and can have a negative impact on your health.

When we stay connected via phones, tablets and other digital devices, we become anxious, distracted and less productive.

Over-attachment to our technology is also causing disrupted sleep patterns and problems with our ability to establish an emotional connection with other people.

When you decide to turn off your devices for some time each day, you are deciding to prioritise both relationships with family and friends and interests and hobbies you might not otherwise engage in.

3. Find a physical activity that you enjoy

Every New Year, people purchase expensive memberships to gyms, workout studios, and online fitness programmes in hopes of shedding excess body fat in the year to come.

Though many people start strong, the majority don’t make their new routine into a lasting habit.

Still, you can increase the chances of making your fitness resolutions stick. To get started, choose an activity based on enjoyment and whether it fits into your schedule.

For example, taking a half-hour walk, jog, or bike ride before work, or swimming at a gym that’s on your way home, are simple and sustainable exercise resolutions.

4. Rethink dieting 

Chronic dieting is harmful to both physical and mental health. Plus, many people who lose weight through restrictive dieting regain up to two-thirds of the weight lost within one year.

Dieting can also make it harder to lose weight in the future. Rather than setting a New Year’s resolution to lose weight by using restrictive measures, such as a fad diet, try a healthier, more sustainable method of weight loss by focusing on increasing physical activity and eating healthier foods.

5. Cook more meals at home

Research shows that people who cook more meals at home have better diet quality and less body fat than people who eat more meals on the go.

In fact, a study in 11,396 adults found that those who ate five or more home-cooked meals per week were 28 per cent less likely to be overweight, compared with those who ate fewer than three home-cooked meals per week.

Start by making one meal a day, then increase the frequency over time until you are making the majority of your meals and snacks at home.

6. Be grateful

Take a few minutes each day to reflect on the things you are grateful for, and write them down.

Reflecting on the good helps you focus and keep a positive attitude. On the tough days, going back to the things you have written down in the past can be a good reminder.

Along with being grateful, adults who turn their thankfulness into action are more likely to experience an overall sense of purpose and well-being.

Whether you donate your time or your money — or both — giving back to your community can give a huge boost to your emotional and physical health.

7. Sit less and move more

Whether it’s due to having a sedentary job or simply being inactive, many people sit more than they should.

Sitting too much can have negative effects on health. In fact, it may be linked to an increased risk of overall mortality.

Making a resolution to sit less is an easy and attainable resolution that can be tailored to fit your lifestyle.

For example, if you have a desk job that requires long periods of sitting, make a resolution to go for a 15-minute walk at lunch or to get up and walk for 5 minutes every hour.

8. Get more quality sleep

Sleep is an essential part of overall health, and sleep deprivation can lead to serious consequences.

For instance, lack of sleep may increase your risk of weight gain, heart disease, and depression.

There are many reasons people don’t get enough sleep, so it’s important to focus on your schedule and lifestyle to determine the best ways to improve sleep quantity and quality.

Decreasing screen time before bed, reducing light pollution in your bedroom, cutting back on caffeine, and getting to bed at a reasonable hour are some simple ways to improve sleep hygiene.

9. Use healthier household products 

It’s obvious that what you put into your body can significantly impact your health. However, what products you use in your home matter, too.

Make a New Year’s resolution to purchase more natural beauty products, household cleaners, laundry detergents, and personal care products to create a healthier environment for yourself and your family.

10. Stop negative body talk

Talking negatively about your body can lead to feelings of body shame. In fact, research shows that engaging in and hearing negative body talk is associated with higher levels of body dissatisfaction and decreased self-esteem in both women and men.

Make a healthy New Year’s resolution to engage in positive self-talk regularly and reduce negative body talk.

This may not only help improve your relationship with your own body, but also encourage others to stop talking negatively about themselves.