Beyond the New Year’s resolution: How to stay healthy all year

For some, the approach of January brings about motivation for healthy living despite what the rest of the year looks like. In some cases, these motivations on how to maintain good health can be focused on lifestyle, such as, “I’m going to start a healthy eating routine,” “I want to exercise more,” or “I’ll lose weight.” These goals may be positive but may be challenging to maintain. If you often struggle to keep up your resolutions year-round, a few positive strategies may help you ensure your new year can be the launching pad for a whole year of vibrant physical and mental health.

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How to find motivation 

Before launching your health journey for the new year, examine your motivation. For example, perhaps you want to focus on your physical health for 2024. Consider the main points of this focus and why they are essential to you. You might ask yourself questions like the following: 

• Do I want to move more freely to improve my performance in an activity like hiking? 
• Do I want to be able to play with my grandchildren? 
• Do I want to improve health markers like high blood pressure or cholesterol to avoid heart disease? 
• Do I want to smash my lifting goals at the gym because it brings me joy? 

Finding motivations that speak to you can be one of the most effective ways to stick to healthy habits in the long term. 

Writing it down 

After determining your motivation, write your goals down. You might write in a journal, on paper, or your phone’s notes app. On this paper or device, build a contract with yourself. Start by stating your overall goal, such as: “I want to achieve X health benefits because (add motivation). 

Whether you start with one or a few goals can be up to you, as you know yourself best. However, note that too many goals may become overwhelming and lead to difficulty initiating. Try to keep it to specific goals that you can incorporate into your life without causing significant stress.

Setting SMART goals 

According to research, the brain can be trained to incorporate new healthy habits by creating SMART goals. SMART stands for the following: 

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Timebound

An example of the improving balance and flexibility goal in SMART form may look like the following: “I will improve my balance and flexibility by attending yoga once a week at the YMCA and following a YouTube tutorial on balance exercises on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 3:30 pm so that I can maintain function as I enter my 60s.” 

Ideas for creating a healthy lifestyle in the New Year

If you’re unsure how to begin staying healthy, start with the “basics,” like eating healthier and increasing physical activity. Below are a few ideas for creating a healthy lifestyle in the new year and ensuring you can keep up with these goals in the long term. 

Quit bad habits to avoid heart disease and other health risks 

You can likely avoid health issues on a macro level by quitting habits that negatively affect your body, such as smoking, which substantially increases your risk of heart disease. Broad-spectrum sunscreen can safeguard your skin from skin cancer, even in winter. It is also important to avoid sleep deprivation, which can lower motivation and introduce other adverse effects on your health. If you have trouble sleeping, it will likely be beneficial to reach out to a medical professional for guidance. 

Get professional medical advice to start the new year right by scheduling primary care visits and any testing that is appropriate for your age, such as colon cancer, breast cancer, or lung cancer screening. 

Engage in healthy eating practices to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight

Following standard dietary guidelines, like eating various colorful foods (fresh fruit and vegetables), whole grains, protein, and a low-fat diet - or eating only healthy unsaturated fats like omega 3s - can improve your physical health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and giving your body the nutrition to perform vital processes. 

It may also be beneficial to avoid food high in saturated fat, sugar-sweetened beverages (like soda and energy drinks), and ultra-processed foods. Avoiding foods with “free sugars,” or sugar that is artificially added, is a popular starting point when making positive dietary changes. If you drink alcohol, it may also be helpful to consider reducing or avoiding it. Alcohol causes different adverse effects than sugary drinks - like increasing the risk of liver disease - but too much alcohol can still lead to weight gain and contains many empty calories. 

One tip may be to prepare healthy meals ahead of time so that you don’t have to worry about cooking a new meal each day. You might also consider making simple swaps from foods that may not have much nutritional value to foods that offer more health benefits. For example, you might swap out white rice for brown rice or cook with olive oil instead of canola oil. Instead of eating unhealthy fats, try eating foods with healthy fats, like avocados and nuts. Rather than attempting to fully cut out junk food options with high cholesterol all at once, try adding fruits and vegetables to your meals and snacks. You may find that these simple changes give you more energy and reduce stress over time.

Health professionals suggest that a healthy diet may also reduce the risk of certain cancers, like colorectal cancer, and improve your mental health while bolstering daily well-being.  Eating a healthy diet is also an important part of avoiding weight gain and other adverse health effects. If you’re unsure about how to incorporate the proper nutrients into your diet, ask your doctor for more information. They may ask about your family history, provide various screening tests and preventive care to ensure you’re not at risk for certain diseases, and help you make informed, healthy choices, starting with healthy meals.

Get moderate to intense exercise 

Research shows that exercise can improve physical and mental health. Besides improving cardiovascular function and increasing musculoskeletal strength and stability, exercise can help you manage stress and improve mood throughout the new year. Physical activity guidelines recommend getting at least 90 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week, with moderate intensity aerobic activity seeming to offer many benefits, including helping you get enough sleep each night. 

Staying physically active and developing a regular exercise routine may seem challenging at first, but it's important to exercise regularly to support both mental and physical health. Even brisk walking or doing household chores on a regular basis can reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, which is generally the leading cause of heart attack, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Living a sedentary lifestyle can put you at a higher risk of premature death, but getting regular exercise can reduce this risk.

Get outside

Being outdoors can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular disorders. Being in nature may also improve your mood. You can walk during your lunch break or sit on a bench for a few minutes, observing the day. Other ways to reap the benefits of nature are hiking, studying outside, or going swimming. It can be best to wear sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB rays if you’re going to be spending more than a few minutes outdoors.

Take advantage of mindfulness’s health benefits 

Mindfulness practices like meditation or deep breathing exercises may help you manage stress and can prevent anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed for some people. In addition, mindfulness has been associated with reduced depression and stress symptoms. 

Safeguard your sexual health and avoid sexually transmitted infections

An often-ignored aspect of health is sexual health. A visit to your doctor to be tested for sexually transmitted infections can be a positive way to start the new year. You can also make it a priority to take precautions to prevent sexually transmitted infections in the future by following safe sex practices. 

Ask for support 

Some people may experience increased stress or symptoms of anxiety or depression during the holiday season. This time of year can be overwhelming and hectic, and winter is often a time when people experience symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Guarding mental health is an aspect of healthy living that may be helpful to focus on when creating resolutions, and therapy is one way to find support. 

According to studies, therapeutic modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be an effective way to manage symptoms of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Therapy offers tools to manage stress and strategies to shift patterns of negative thoughts and behaviors into a more positive direction. A mental health professional in human services can help you find positive coping skills and build healthy habits in your routine. 

For those who may find it challenging to attend in-person therapy sessions, research shows that online therapy is an effective solution that offers the same benefits as face-to-face therapy without leaving the house. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can complete a questionnaire and be matched with a licensed therapist who meets your goals within 48 hours. You can then attend sessions via phone, video, or live chat.