The end of the year is a time when many people hope to improve their health and well-being in the new year. While the holidays may not be the best time to start, once those festivities have passed, it’s not a bad idea to have a plan in place for the changes that you’d like to make. The choices you make will depend entirely on you — so here are some suggestions that might work. If you are already excelling in one area, then you can focus on another!
Cut Out Your Bad Habits
A good place to start in your journey to better health and well-being is cutting out your bad habits. Sure, you can implement positive changes in your life — but often it’s the negative things we do that have a more detrimental impact on our health. We all have our own bad habits, but here are some common ones that you might want to kick to the curb in 2022.
Stop Smoking
Smoking is a common activity, but it significantly increases your risk of developing serious health conditions, ranging from heart disease to respiratory conditions and even negatively impacting your appearance by yellowing your skin, nails, and teeth. Quitting smoking is extremely difficult because nicotine, which is found in cigarettes, is extremely addictive. Nevertheless, there are many quitting aids that can help, including nicotine patches and gum.
Reduce Drinking
Alcohol is easily accessible for anyone over the age limit and involves a highly social activity, which people engage in on a regular basis. However, it’s important to bear in mind that while drinking is legal — excessive, regular drinking can cause major destruction in your body, including liver and kidney damage. Alcohol is also an addictive substance and cutting down or quitting can be difficult. Yet, there are plenty of programs and support groups that can provide assistance to those who want to stop drinking.
Abstain From Other Substances
Nicotine and alcohol are addictive substance that are legal, but there are many other drugs out there that are not legal, which people get addicted to. If you find yourself addicted to an illegal substance — know that you are not alone — and that there are people who and places that can help you get back on track. Places like Sunshine Behavioral Health can help you to change your habits and patterns — leading to a better and more healthy lifestyle.
Suspend Social Media Use
Addiction doesn’t always have to be tied to chemical substances. Social media can become addictive, as people crave the boost they feel when people like or engage with their posts. While social media can be a useful tool, it is important to monitor your online activity and avoid spending too much time online. If you believe that social media is negatively impacting your well-being, then it is time to take a break and seek support.
Managing Your Diet
For many of us, eating is something that we do without even thinking about it. While it’s important that you don’t become obsessive over your diet, you should take into consideration and make informed decisions about the food that you are putting in your body. Your diet can have a major impact on your health and well-being.
Say “No” to Fad Diets
Before we start talking about curating a healthy diet, it is important to be aware of fad diets. There are countless companies who will claim that they can help you to lose weight faster than is realistically possible and maintainable — or in a way in which you can eat unhealthy foods. If it’s too good to be true, then it is — and these fad diets simply do not work. While you might see pounds shed fast, often you are only losing your water weight, and these fad diets are not maintainable. You will put the weight back on as soon as you start eating healthy foods again. The only genuine way to achieve a healthy weight is with time and effort.
Don’t Remove Particular Food Groups
A healthy diet is balanced within your recommended calorie count; therefore, you should avoid cutting out specific foods from your diet entirely. Sure, if you want to cut out fast food or meals that are high in saturated fats and nutritionally devoid — that, of course, makes sense. What this is referring to is avoiding specific food groups, such as carbohydrates. Your body needs each of the food groups in moderation to provide all the different nutrients that you need to thrive. People often try to cut out entire food groups that they believe are “unhealthy” — but this isn’t how your body works. The key to a healthy diet is balance. Carbs provide you with energy. Oils and fats can be healthy, as long as they are unsaturated. A little sugar or salt should is fine as long as you don’t have any health conditions associated with them.
Know Your Calorie Count
Knowing how many calories you should be consuming can help you to plan your meals and make sure you are not overeating or undereating. Calories are a form of measurement that shows how much energy is in different foods that you consume. Everyone has a recommended calorie count and by staying within yours — you can manage your weight and also ensure that your body is properly fueled. You can ask your physician for this information or find recommendations based on your age, sex, and activity levels online.
Try Superfoods
While you need to make sure you are getting all of your main food groups, some people have added what are known as “superfoods” into their diets as well. Superfood is not an official category of foods, but they are extremely nutritionally dense. Here are some that you may want to try out.
Goji Berries: Goji berries have a distinct taste, so they’re not for everyone, but many people do enjoy them. While once confined to health store shelves, they are now widely available in supermarkets. They have a high content of vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, iron, zinc, and other antioxidants.
Edamame Beans: If you’re looking for a plant-based protein kick, edamame beans should be your go-to. They are most commonly found in Asian cuisine and are just immature soybeans. In just one cup of edamame beans, you will find an impressive 18 grams of plant protein — making it absolutely ideal for vegetarians and vegans.
Steel-Cut Oats: Oats are ideal for breakfast, providing you with slow release of energy. While you might think that all oats would have the same nutritional content, this isn’t necessarily the case. While all oats are generally healthy, steel-cut oats, in particular, are less processed than traditional oats and are found to contain more fiber.
There’s no better time to start thinking about improving your health and well-being than the present. Some of these suggestions may really work for you!
