Key takeaways:
Many people make New Year’s resolutions around their health and well-being.
Resolutions that are small and specific may be easier to stick with than big, broad goals.
When choosing a resolution, be sure you understand why it’s important to you.
Your enthusiasm may drop, so try to remind yourself why the goal is important. Try not to let setbacks discourage you.
The new year is an excellent time to make a fresh start on taking better care of your health. And this isn’t just a cultural cliché. People are more motivated to tackle health goals during times that feel like new beginnings, such as New Year’s Day.
So don’t let chatter about failed New Year’s resolutions hold you back. You can be successful by choosing resolutions that matter to you.
Here are eight of the healthiest and most attainable New Year’s resolutions, along with why they’re important and strategies to help you stick with them.
1. Participate in Dry January
Many people raise a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve. After that, some think about taking part in Dry January. Dry January is a monthlong break from alcohol. It’s a great way of breaking a pattern of drinking — no matter how much alcohol you normally drink.
There’s no amount of alcohol that is totally safe to drink. And regular alcohol use increases your risk of many health conditions, including heart disease, liver disease, high blood pressure, and mental health issues.
Aside from the physical and mental health benefits, not drinking for a month lets you experience socializing, and even your daily home life, without alcohol. It gives you a chance to think more mindfully about your relationship with alcohol — why you drink and why you may not want to reach for a drink.
Tips for Dry January
Try these tips to help you reach your Dry January goals:
Download the Dry January app to get motivating tips and support.
Have some strategies to handle social situations where you may be tempted to have a drink.
If you like to have a drink to relax or reduce stress, think about other relaxing activities you can do, such as yoga, taking a walk with a friend, or knitting.
Look for activities to do with friends that don’t revolve around drinking.
Tell close friends or people you socialize with that you’re participating in Dry January. This will help them support you and limit opportunities for drinking.
Think about what you’ll do in February. Will you continue to abstain, or will you drink but perhaps be more mindful about it? Make a plan to help you keep a healthy approach to drinking alcohol.
2. Eat 5 fruits and vegetables each day
You probably know you should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Here’s why it’s so important. Studies have shown that people who eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables each day have a much lower risk of dying from all causes than those who only eat 2 servings per day.
Yet, most adults in the U.S. eat an average of 1 serving of fruit and 1.5 servings of vegetables per day — that’s half the recommendation.
Tips to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
Here are some ways to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet:
Add fruit to oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt at breakfast.
Grab a banana or apple as a midday snack instead of chips or granola bars.
Add chopped vegetables into omelets, soup, rice, macaroni and cheese, or pasta sauce.
Bulk up sandwiches with dark leaf lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Make a smoothie with fresh or frozen fruit and a handful of spinach or kale.
Replace half of the ground beef in burgers or meatloaf with chopped, cooked mushrooms.
Swap a starchy side dish with a vegetable like broccoli or cauliflower.
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3. Stay hydrated, but limit sugary drinks
Drinking enough water each day helps to prevent dehydration. Dehydration can cause some short- and long-term problems, like mood changes, cloudy thinking, constipation, and kidney stones.
A large study found that even mild dehydration can raise your risk of chronic conditions like heart and lung disease. It may also decrease your lifespan.
The recommended intake of fluids is about 11 cups (8 oz each) per day for women and 15 cups for men. But exactly how much liquid you need depends on your weight, activity level, and where you live.
When it comes to hydration, water is an excellent option. Sugary drinks, like sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened tea or coffee, are the main source of added sugars in the U.S. diet.
Tips to drink more water — and consume less sugar
To get more water into your day:
Try to choose water as your main beverage.
If you get bored with water, add a squirt of lemon juice. Or make a pitcher of water and add cucumbers, oranges, or strawberries for flavor.
Instead of sodas, try sparkling water.
You can also get your fluids from milk, tea, or coffee.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, which also contain water.
4. Strength train twice a week
Many people know that aerobic exercise is a great way to improve fitness, manage weight, and improve your heart health. But muscle-strengthening exercises can offer many of these same benefits.
This year, make a New Year’s resolution to add 2 days of strength training into your weekly exercise routine, along with 150 minutes of aerobic activity.
There are a range of ways to strength train, with or without weights. Aim to do exercises that work all major muscle groups, including your:
Legs
Hips
Back
Abdomen
Chest
Shoulders
Arms
Tips to start strength training
If your goal is to start strength training, get started with these tips:
Start small. Start with 15-20 minutes of strength training each session.
Use machines. Exercise machines can be a great option for beginners because they tend to be easier to manage than free weights.
Weights aren’t necessary. You can use your body weight as resistance by doing squats, lunges, sit-ups, and push-ups.
Follow an exercise video. You can find strength training videos to do at home using light hand weights or tension bands.
5. Try a meditation app
Meditating is a good way to help lower your stress and may have other benefits, like reducing depression and blood pressure. Meditation teaches you to focus your brain on breathing or on repeated sounds (mantras). It also focuses your awareness on what’s going on in your body or around you.
But it takes effort and time to learn how to meditate, which can be daunting for many people. Meditation apps can make it more accessible and offer a convenient way to get started.
There are different types of meditation apps. Some offer free trials or free features. A few options are:
Tips for learning to meditate
To help you get started with meditation:
Aim to practice meditating 2 or 3 days a week. Eventually, you might choose to practice every day.
Think of a good time to set aside 15-20 minutes to meditate. Meditating in the morning can start your day off in a relaxed mode. In the evening before bed, it can help you unwind and sleep better.
Learning to keep your mind from wandering is a key aspect of meditating. It takes a lot of practice. Try not to get frustrated when your mind wanders. Just refocus and start again.
6. Schedule your check-ups and screenings
Staying up to date on check-ups, vaccinations, and screenings is one of the best ways to stay healthy and lower your chances of getting sick. Regular visits can also increase the likelihood that you’ll catch an illness early, when it may be easier to treat.
There are many types of conditions that can be detected early by routine blood tests and screenings, including:
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Diabetes or high blood sugar levels
Thyroid issues
Cancer
Osteoporosis
Screening recommendations vary depending on your age, sex, health and family history, and other factors. If you aren’t sure which ones you need, talk with your primary care provider. Ask about physicals, blood tests, cancer screenings, and vaccinations.
Tips for scheduling preventive health visits
Try these tips to get your preventative health visits scheduled:
Schedule your yearly physical in advance. Often, healthcare professionals are booked for “well visits” months in advance.
Call your doctor’s office to find out if you’re overdue for any screening tests or vaccinations.
Book dental cleanings every 6 months.
Schedule an eye exam annually (once a year).
Set yearly reminders on your calendar to remind you of your screenings and exams.
7. Reach out to a friend once a day
Staying connected to friends can improve your mental health and well-being. There’s plenty of research that suggests that having strong social support is linked to a range of benefits, including a longer life.
One study found that having just one good conversation with a friend during the day can reduce stress and boost happiness. It also goes a long way to strengthen friendships.
But when life gets busy, it can be easy to put friendships on the back burner.
Tips for reaching out to friends
Making time to connect can make a big difference. Try these tips:
Schedule a phone or video call so you can both plan for it.
To prioritize calls with friends, think about it as a date or your activity for the night, not something you have to squeeze in between other evening tasks.
If you feel crunched for time, set a time limit on your phone call.
Walk and talk. Take advantage of times when you’re walking to call a friend.
Schedule an in-person walk with a local friend.
If you don’t have time for a call or visit, have a quick text conversation. It may not give you all the benefits of a phone call or in-person interaction, but it keeps your connection going.
8. Get enough quality sleep
Getting enough quality sleep can boost your physical and mental health. Most adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Exactly how much sleep you need depends on your age, overall health, lifestyle, and genetic traits.
Yet many people don’t get that much sleep per night. Making sleep a priority can improve your mood, focus, and energy levels. It can also support long-term health goals, like managing weight and reducing stress.
Tips to improve sleep hygiene
To help you get better sleep:
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Build a relaxing routine before bed. For example, you may try reading, gentle stretching, or meditation. Avoid bright screens and stimulating activities.
Make your bedroom “sleep-friendly.” Keep a cool, dark, and quiet environment for sleep.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals, and other stimulants in the hours leading up to bedtime.
Get natural light in the morning and stay physically active during the day. This helps regulate your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm).
How to keep New Year’s health resolutions
One reason people skip New Year’s health resolutions is that they think the changes won’t last. But there are things you can do to increase the chances that your resolutions will stick.
Just remember that developing a new habit takes time and effort. Try not to get discouraged when you hit a roadblock or if your progress seems slow.
To improve the odds that you’ll stick with your goals, follow these tips.
Set realistic resolutions
Aiming for large goals sets you up for failure. Instead, make your goals small and achievable. For example, if you want to be more active, walking for 30 minutes 3 times a week is a more realistic goal than going to a gym every day.
Think about the ‘why’
Write down why you want to achieve a goal. The strongest reasons should be “internal motivators” — ones that are personal and in line with your values. For example, exercising so you can keep up with your children is an internal motivator. An “external motivator” may be approval from others or awards.
Hold yourself accountable
Tell your friends and families about your goals and ask them to check in on your progress from time to time.
Set a date for achieving your goal
Choose a date to reach your goals. This gives you something to work toward. Once you achieve your goal by that date, you can set a new one that is a slightly bigger goal.
Use reminders
As time goes on, your resolution may not stay top of your mind. Write it down where you’ll see it often, and put reminders on your calendar.
Be patient
Change rarely happens overnight. It can take weeks to months for a new habit to feel natural.
Don’t expect perfection
There will be times you’ll slip up and stray from your health habits. But that’s normal, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up or give up on your goal. Just get back on track as soon as you can.
Frequently asked questions
New Year’s resolutions related to health, diet, and exercise are the most popular. Among people who make New Year’s resolutions, nearly 8 out of 10 people focus on their health. The next most popular resolutions are related to financial issues. Other popular resolutions focus on family and friends, hobbies, and work or career.
About 3 out of 10 adults in the U.S. make at least 1 New Year’s resolution. Resolution setting was most popular among young adults ages 18 to 29 years and least common among adults 50 years and older.
Making just one or two resolutions is ideal. Taking on more than that may leave you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.
There’s no “magic number” of days for a new habit to form. Research suggests that it takes about 60 days for a new behavior to become a habit, but this can vary. Simple habits may form in a few weeks, while more challenging lifestyle changes can take several months. The key is consistency. When setting a New Year’s health resolution, focus on steady progress instead of perfection.
New Year’s resolutions related to health, diet, and exercise are the most popular. Among people who make New Year’s resolutions, nearly 8 out of 10 people focus on their health. The next most popular resolutions are related to financial issues. Other popular resolutions focus on family and friends, hobbies, and work or career.
About 3 out of 10 adults in the U.S. make at least 1 New Year’s resolution. Resolution setting was most popular among young adults ages 18 to 29 years and least common among adults 50 years and older.
Making just one or two resolutions is ideal. Taking on more than that may leave you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.
There’s no “magic number” of days for a new habit to form. Research suggests that it takes about 60 days for a new behavior to become a habit, but this can vary. Simple habits may form in a few weeks, while more challenging lifestyle changes can take several months. The key is consistency. When setting a New Year’s health resolution, focus on steady progress instead of perfection.
The bottom line
Making New Year’s resolutions to improve your health can have a big impact on your mental and physical well-being. Setting specific health goals — such as strength training or eating more fruits and vegetables — can provide several benefits, including reduced risk of chronic disease, and even a longer life. If you choose goals that are meaningful to you, you’re more likely to stick to your resolutions. You can improve your chance of success by using effective goal-setting strategies.
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References
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