Happy New Year!
What are your wellness goals for 2024?
Whether you want to accomplish a fitness goal or focus on healthy eating, nutrition and exercise are key to meeting your goals. The New Year is a great time to break from past habits and start a new behavior.
- Plan for regular meals throughout the day, including a variety of nutrient-rich foods.
- Try starting the day with a healthful breakfast.
- If possible, enjoy dinnertime together with your family – this promotes a supportive environment.
- Create a healthy eating style by following MyPlate recommendations at meals. Choose different foods from each food group to get a variety of nutrients.
- Remember to put the focus on health, not weight. It is important to know your weight but don’t just focus on a number. Focus on whether you can exercise longer, your clothes fit better, you have more energy during the day.
- Get active. Add physical activity whenever you can, whether it’s taking a family walk after dinner or joining the gym. Children and teens should get 60 minutes or more of physical activity per day, and adults should get two and a half hours per week.
- Add physical activities to your daily routine. Fitting small exercise breaks into your schedule helps keep your body healthy. For example, stretch for 15 minutes after waking in the morning, or take a 10-minute walk during your lunch break.
- Sign up for new sports. Apart from physical benefits, sports uplift your mood and give a sense of positivity.
- To support your mental health wellness goals, practice meditation for 15 minutes every day and have a journal to pen down your thoughts.
- You could also regularly reach out to your friends and family to discuss what’s on your mind.
- Seek professional help if needed.
Written by:
Barb Hailstone, RDN, LN
St. John’s United
Wellness and Lifestyle Concierge
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