According to Google, the top 2 New Year’s Resolutions are “exercise to get in shape” and “diet to lose weight.” Unfortunately, less than 10% of those who make New Year’s Resolutions stick to them for more than a few months. That’s not to say that everyone who makes a New Year’s Resolution isn’t capable of following through; it simply means that more effort needs to be set forth in the planning process. Before all the moms reading this throw their hands up {seriously, who has time to plan?!}, our friends at Next Level Urgent Care have done the hard work for you.
Here are 10 tips to keep your New Year’s Resolution and get healthier in the New Year:
- Assign Theme Nights to Your Dinner Menu: Meal planning is hard. It’s even harder when you don’t know where to start. Themed dinner nights make planning much easier and a whole lot faster. Here are a few suggestions you can mix and match.
- Keep Your Fridge and Pantry Stocked with Healthy Snacks: Don’t deprive yourself when you’re hungry. Instead, opt for a healthy, pre-prepped snack, like sliced vegetables and hummus, frozen grapes, fruit parfaits made with berries and Greek yogurt, turkey and cheese roll-ups, hard boiled eggs, trail mix {sorry, not the M&M kind}, and chia seed pudding.
- Avoid Processed Foods by Shopping Around the Perimeter of the Grocery Store: Processed foods may be less expensive and at times, more convenient than fresh meats and produce, but they are preserved with added sugar, sodium and fat which means increased calories and less nutrients. The best way to ensure you’re avoiding processed foods is by sticking to the perimeter of the grocery store when shopping. There you’ll find the freshest, most nutritious ingredients for yourself and your family.
- Hide the Junk Food: You eat what you see. Instead of leaving a cookie jar on the counter, place a fruit bowl there instead. It’s okay to keep treats in your house, just don’t leave them out in front of you all day.
- Swap out that Venti Coffee for a Liter {or 2} of Water: If you need coffee to power through the day, we get it, and truly, you don’t need to give it up. Just be sure to prioritize your water intake as well. Experts recommend at least one half gallon per day.
- Squeeze Just 20 Minutes of Exercise into Your Day: If you have little kids in the house, it may not be easy to commit to an exercise class. However, even just a 20 minute walk around the neighborhood with your kiddos in tow is a great way to boost your endorphins and burn some calories. *Bonus points if you get that walk in with a friend.
- Consider Tracking Food: There are so many apps out there that allow you to keep track of your food and water intake. They’re not for everyone but if you find yourself overeating or snacking unnecessarily, using a tracking app may help you to figure out why {lack of nutrients, low calorie intake, etc}.
- For Crying Out Loud, Get Some Sleep: Not only do you deserve 7-8 hours of sleep every day, but you also need it! If you struggle to sleep a full 7 hours at night, try taking naps when your kiddos are napping to get in some extra ZZZs.
- Be Kind to Yourself: If you love your body, you are more likely to nurture it, resulting in a healthier you!
- Practice Daily Gratitude: A study conducted by Harvard University concluded that those who practiced gratitude daily for one week experienced a huge increase in happiness scores as compared to the group that didn’t. A gratitude practice can be as simple as writing down one thing you are thankful for each day, or as intentional as a gratitude meditation practice. Either way, your overall mental health will be better for it!
Following through with a New Year’s Resolution is already difficult, but it’s that much harder when you’re a busy mom! We hope these tips help you to achieve your New Year’s health goals.
Wishing you health, happiness, and personal growth in 2021!
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About Alexis Breeze
Alexis Breeze graduated with a degree in Culinary Management from the Art Institute of Houston. However, after working in the food industry, she realized her skillset was better suited to the world of business and marketing.
Alexis joined the Next Level Urgent Care administrative team in 2018. She divides her time between two important functions, internal marketing {employee relations} and external marketing {customer relations}. As Director of Employee Relations, her work to develop a strong culture of appreciation and cooperation resulted in Next Level being named one of Houston’s “Best Places to Work” by Houston Business Journal in 2019. Her innovative ideas for creating work team cohesion have resulted in dramatic increases in staff retention rates. The balance of her time is spent working with marketing staff to create compelling, customer-focused blog content and digital marketing pieces. In this role, she has honed her skills in social media advertising as well as web design.
Learn more about Alexis at her website, www.littlebitalexis.com.
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