A new year often signifies a fresh start for many people. This could include setting new health goals, such as losing weight, following a healthier diet, mindful eating, or starting a new exercise routine. It could also include focusing more on mindfulness, meditation, and investing in mental health, or cutting back on bad habits. The new year is the perfect time to set new goals and commit to better health for the year ahead. As we head into a new year, and say goodbye to 2020, INDEAL Cares wants to remind you that we are your partner in achieving your health goals in work and in life.
Sometimes, the resolutions that people choose are restrictive and unsustainable, leading most people to break their resolutions within a few weeks…resulting in people making the same resolutions year after year. This year try to make resolutions that can improve your health – and can be followed for life!
Here are 4 New Year’s resolutions you can keep:
1. Eat more whole foods: One of the easiest and most sustainable ways to improve overall health is to eat more whole foods. Whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fish, contain nutrients that your body needs to function at an optimal level. Research shows that following a whole-foods-based diet may significantly reduce heart disease risk factors, body weight, and blood sugar levels, as well as decrease your risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Visit our Eat Well page for more on how you can eat mindfully for health.
2. Sit less and move more: Many people sit more than they should. Sitting too much is linked to an increased risk of overall mortality, so making a resolution to sit less is an easy resolution that you can fit into your workday – all you have to do is commit to move more. For example, make a resolution to go for a 15-minute walk at lunch or to get up and walk for 5 minutes every hour. Small increments of movement will add up! Visit our Active Living page on the Living Well Library for other tips on building movement into your day.
3. Practice self-care: Taking time for yourself is not selfish. In fact, it is critical for optimal health and wellbeing. For people with busy schedules and limited time, making a resolution to engage in self-care may take some planning, but it can be done – and its worth it. This could include getting an extra hour of sleep, reading a book you like, taking time to walk outside. Check out the Living Well Library page for Managing Stress and Anxiety for other ideas on how you can take care of yourself in 2021.
4. Try meditation: Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Trying out this practice is a perfect New Year’s resolution because there are many ways to meditate, and it’s easy to use tools and resources, like the ones available here, to teach yourself how to start a meditation practice.
A New Year for Health
Start out 2021 committed to health and wellness and choose to take care of yourself and your wellbeing in the new year. INDEAL Cares is committed to continuing to be the health and wellness resource to ensure you are living your best life at home – and at work into the new year.
On behalf of all of us at INDEAL Cares – best wishes for a safe, happy, and healthy 2021.
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