Healthy New Year’s Resolutions You Can Actually Keep

Once again, friends, ‘tis the season. The season distinguished by good cheer, great food, and good (if a bit lofty) intentions. We’re talking New Year’s resolutions.

According to a poll by Statista, last year Americans made pretty much the same resolutions we do every year (like eating healthier, exercising more, and taking better care of ourselves). This suggests that many of the people surveyed had likely resolved to do those things for 2017 as well, and just didn’t make it.

New Year’s resolutions about being healthier are easy to aspire to as we crawl our way out of the holiday months known for indulgence, gluttony, and extra time off work. Not so easy to stick to, though, when we get back to our normal diets and busy schedules.

Why torture ourselves like this? Sure, our most common resolutions are worthy. Even noble. However, failure to achieve those goals is inevitably met with a sense of…yup, failure.

What if this year, we resolve to be kinder to ourselves? What if we resolve to make healthy New Year’s resolutions that we can stick to and actually succeed at?

New Year Health and Wellness Tips

Here are some simple changes you can make this year for a happier, healthier, and less stressful life. And why not resolve to take your team along for the ride? One of the best ways to reach a goal like a New Year’s resolution is to stay accountable to someone. This year, consider putting together a package of resolution aids for your coworkers, employees, or friends. We have everything you need, and you can even customize each item with a motivational quote.

Bring Your Lunch to Work

This one is a two-fer: bringing your lunch to work fosters healthier eating habits and often leads to hefty financial savings, as well. If you cook at home, make a little extra and pack up the leftovers. Or make a weekly grocery run to get some healthy but satisfying food for lunches (satisfying is key here—if you feel deprived, you’re far less likely to stick to this resolution).

Even bringing lunch to work a few days a week will make a big difference, and it’s easier than you may think when you have the right gear. Some of our favorites are this Stainless Steel Food Container great for keeping hot foods hot and this Koozie® Square Food Container with dual compartments and a reusable fork.

Drink More Water

Drinking more water is one of the easiest New Year health and wellness tips (once you get used to it), and it brings major benefits. We’re not saying you need to give up coffee and soda entirely…for many of us, that would just be plain bonkers. We are saying, though, you can reap some major rewards by beginning to swap a few of those beverages with water. If you find yourself sipping coffee all day at work, why not switch your mug for a water bottle after you’ve had your morning cup of joe?

Not only will trading water for other beverages easily reduce your calorie intake, but drinking more water can also make you feel more satisfied, reducing your food cravings. Plus, adequate hydration is essential to the proper function of every system in your body. Give it a try. Once you realize how much better you feel and look, you’ll be happy to fill your water bottle more frequently.

Having trouble choosing water over more flavorful beverages? Give this Daily Double Infuser bottle a try! You can fill the core with fruits, herbs, and even vegetables (we love cucumber) to make your water delicious.

Reduce Work Stress

One of the best ways you can improve your physical health is to reduce stress. It’s true: did you know that unchecked stress can cause or contribute to serious health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease? There are many stressors in our lives that we simply can’t eliminate—but there are many that we can control with some simple changes.

Do you ever feel as though you’re drowning in to-do’s? You’d be amazed how much less stressful your work days can be if you’re well-organized and have everything you need ready to go.  For example, think how many headaches you could prevent with this Customizable Claremont Powerbank Portfolio you can use to organize your notes and papers plus keep your phone and tablet charged.

Move It!

This is about the time of year when we see the increase in ads pushing diet pills, fat-melters, and other “cheats” that purport to help people lose weight without actually exercising. News flash: these tricks rarely work. They also usually cost a ton and can have some pretty negative effects on the body. The truth is, the best and safest way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat healthier and move more.

If you aren’t into the whole marathon thing, no worries—taking regular walks at a slightly brisk pace can do wonders for your mental and physical health. Use the time to tune out by listening to some of your favorite music or books—we offer enough earbuds and headphones to suit any taste and lifestyle.

Small lifestyle changes can add up to big benefits and are more sustainable than our yearly aspirational overhauls, which so often get abandoned by February.

This year, we’re making healthy New Year’s resolutions that we can feel so good about that we’ll maintain them well into the future. After all, as Norman Vincent Peale said, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” We think it’s ok to be ok with landing on a star…and we’re ready to help you do it!