The Best Healthy Habits to Start Before 2024
Today I am sharing the best healthy habits to start before 2024.
What if we could avoid that post-holiday guilt? That feeling that we over-indulged on food or drinks, didn't exercise enough, didn't get enough sleep, or felt like stress was through the roof?
It happens to many of us during the holidays. And as much as I love to enjoy all the holiday things, I don't like feeling yucky come January 1st. I also don't love that feeling of 'starting over' and trying to do all the things at once. That type of reboot often doesn't last long. Think New Year's resolutions that only last through January.
What if we started to think about prioritizing one or two healthy habits now, to take us through the season and into 2024? That could go a long way in helping you to feel your best throughout this busy (and sometimes stressful) time of year. And help you make 2024 your healthiest year yet.
Here are the best healthy habits to start before 2024.
How do I start implementing a new healthy habit?
Let's think consider the most important pillars of health: nutrition, movement, sleep and stress management. Take a few minutes to think about how you feel about each of these. Ask yourself these questions:
How do I currently feel about each of these pillars?
In which areas do I feel good?
In which areas do I really want to make some changes?
What do I do next to start a new healthy habit?
Let's say you feel good about your weekly workouts and your (mostly) early bedtimes, but you know that you've been ordering out food a few too many times each week or not getting enough veggies. Maybe you start there. What can you do in the next month to feel like you are taking small steps toward feeling your best?
Try just adding ONE thing. Small changes can snowball into big changes. Here are some ideas to get you started.
If You Want to Eat Better
Try meal prepping a few things on the weekend. Cook up a protein - like simple shredded chicken in the slow cooker. Roast a pan of veggies. Just a little prep can go a long way in helping you to eat at home more and get healthy meals on the table quickly. Check out this post for easy meal prep ideas and this post for how to get started with meal prep.
Get bang for your buck with a smoothie. If you want to squeeze lots of nutrition into one meal, then you can't go wrong with a smoothie. Breakfast, lunch or dinner - anytime. Check out this post on how to make the best smoothie. It's one of the easiest says to add a little health punch to your day.
Get inspired. The world of social media is chock-full of inspiring healthy recipes. Start to follow some accounts that share easy, healthy meals and try something new this week!
If You Want to Incorporate More Movement
Start small. Try to go for a walk every day. It can be as short as 10 minutes. Get outside and reap the benefits of the outdoors, the movement, and the lower stress levels. Listen to a podcast, book, or your favorite music.
Put it on your calendar. Literally. Put a few workouts on your calendar each week. Make it non-negotiable. You will thank yourself afterward.
Do something you love. I used to feel that if I didn't work super hard - sweating, sore, exhausted - then was it even a workout?? I used to dread running or the 45 minute Peloton class.
Then I made a shift. I only do what I want to do and what I feel like my body needs. Should I push myself more? Maybe. But in this season of life my workouts consist of 20 minute Peloton rides, at-home barre classes, long walks (both outdoors and on our walking pad), and strength workouts while I listen to a podcast. That 5:30 wake-up call to workout doesn't feel so bad when I enjoy what I'm doing.
If You Want Better Sleep
Quality sleep is so important to our overall health and our ability to manage stress and fight off illness.
Create a routine. As someone who is always working on this, creating a routine has helped me the most. Once you establish a routine or ritual that feels good for you, you won't want to go back. Check out this post with tips for creating a healthy bedtime routine to get you started.
If You Want to Focus on Stress Management
Stress is a part of life, and during the holidays it can definitely escalate for many people. The endless to-do lists, the feelings of not doing enough for our kids, the busy schedules, stressful family situations, even grief.
Feeling stressed here and there is a natural part of life, but feeling it consistently is not good for our overall health. Finding ways to manage it is an important part of health.
Identify stressful situations. What is causing stress for you? What is one thing you could do to help combat that feeling? Asking for help? Saying no to something that doesn't serve you well right now? Taking a walk? Connecting with loved ones? Getting more sleep or movement? All of these things can help. What feels good to you?
Make time for self-care. Taking care of yourself is more important than ever during busy and stressful seasons. Check out this post for some simple self-care tips.
Things to Do Before 2024
Choose one or two areas to focus on, and start feeling better today. Then go eat the cookies, go to the parties, and enjoy the holiday season. These healthy habits will carry you through to 2024 and beyond.
For more healthy holiday tips, check out this post on how to stay healthy during the holidays.
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