6 Ideas For Your 2020 New Years Resolution

Every year, we all come up with the same new years resolutions, and let’s face it, we never stick to them. I want to eat healthier. I want to lose weight. I want to exercise more. I want to do more things I enjoy. Ring a bell? Often, our new years resolutions are vague or unattainable. Below, I’ve got some ideas for new years resolutions that you could implement easily and would impact positively on your health, physical and mental!

Drink more water

Did you know that 80% of Australian adults do not drink enough water, and are in a chronic state of dehydration? Just a 1% drop in body water can significantly hinder your body functions! Chronic dehydration can cause fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, mood swings, body aches and headaches. How many Australians suffer these common ailments and could improve their chances of feeling better simply by drinking enough water! CLICK HERE for a hydration calculator, so you can make sure you’re getting enough for your age and body weight!

Drink more water

Go Veggo one day a week!

More and more we are learning about the benefits of a plant based diet on our health. From improving energy to reducing cancer risks, the benefits appear endless! In our modern western culture, it is rare that an individual would go a day without consuming some kind of animal protein, but the truth is, there are incredible benefits to reducing meat consumption and eating more veggies! Begin with one day a week and see how you go!

Ditch the soft drinks

A lot of people make a new years resolution that goes something along the lines of ‘Eat healthier’ or ‘Be healthier,’ but what does that really mean? It’s not a very targeted goal, but implementing specific changes like eliminating soft drinks over a year can have major health benefits! Many scientific studies have proven that high-sugar soft drinks can increase oxidative stress in the body, leading to a multitude of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, liver diseases and micronutrient deficiencies. In addition to this, soft drinks also significant change the ratios of bacteria in your gut microbiome, and not for the best. Whilst it’s easy enough to say, ditching soft drinks can be quite difficult. Some experts have said that sugar can be as addictive as drugs such as cocaine! If you regularly consume soft drinks, set yourself an attainable goal and try and eliminate them over a year.

Try a new recipe each week!

It is easy to get into a rut of cooking the same thing all the time, but it is so important for our bodies that we eat a variety of foods all the time! That way, we give ourselves a variety of micronutrients and phytochemicals and can ensure we are meeting our nutrient requirements. For example, eating spag bol every night will deprive your body of many other micronutrients that it needs! Try making something new every week, it may make cooking more fun and less mundane!

Learn a new skill

Learning new skills are great for our brain, cognition and mental health! It also helps us to make new connections and form new relationships, which is equally important for our mental health! What’s more, learn a skill that gets you outdoors and active, so you can be engaging in more physical activity and exercise without even trying!

Learn a stress-reduction strategy

Have you heard the new years resolution ‘stress less’? What does this actually mean? Well it means something different for everyone, so I’d recommend finding a stress-reducing strategy and implementing it over the year in a way that suits you and your needs! Some ideas include learning to meditate, starting a gratitude journal, being committed to getting enough sleep or exercising. Even a daily walk can significantly improve stress levels. In fact, compared to anti-depressant medications, walking as a form of exercise is just at effective at improving mood!

Whatever you choose to do, just make sure it is achievable and specific, rather than vague and unrealistic!