2016 is nearly over, and lots of people will take this new year as a time to make a fresh start, ditch some old bad habits and try to make some healthy new ones.
You know, new year’s resolutions!
Some choose to dedicate themselves to losing weight, going to the gym, eating right, or drinking green liquid concoctions. This year, I challenge you to NOT make a resolution.
Say whaaaat??
If you want to make healthier changes in your life, instead of deciding on a big overarching goal, or loosely defining a goal…start by finding specific small, manageable ways to incorporate healthier habits into your own lifestyle. This will set you up for a lot more success than only seeing a big, scary goal in front of you, or not really knowing what you need to do to say you accomplished your goal (or resolution).
This list below is a compilation of healthy things that I currently do or things that I’d like to make myself do more of that I think would be a great start for anyone looking to make some healthy changes. They’re pretty much the same as my post last year, but it got such good feedback I just had to bring back for 2017!
Some of the ideas are pretty predictable and very simple, and others are more complex. Check them out and see which ones sound interesting to you that you’d like to try to incorporate, and let’s work on some new healthy habits together in 2017!
1. Aim for 8-9 hours of sleep per night.
Sleep is when your body restores itself and heals itself. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your body isn’t getting the chance to perform these tasks that are vital to keeping you healthy and your immune system strong. Getting enough sleep also helps you to perform better during the day, stabilizes your blood sugar, and decreases anxiety.
2. Ditch your scale.
Even if one of your (we’ll call them “goals” instead of resolutions) is to lose weight, there are other ways to tell other than stepping on a scale – like noticing how your clothes fit you. So many people get SO caught up in the number on the scale and let that number dictate how they feel and control their self-image. The number you see fuels that little voice in the back of your head that tells you you’re fat or not worthy, and tells you nothing about how beautiful you are. It’s amazing the change in results people see when they let this piece of machinery go. Allow yourself to focus on how you really feel, rather than letting a scale tell you how you should feel.
3. Eat more leafy greens.
Want to prevent osteoporosis with nice strong, healthy bones? Eat more leafy greens! New information tells us that our old friend milk actually causes the body to LEACH calcium from the bones to balance our PH levels after the milk makes our blood acidic (calcium supplements have the same affect). To properly absorb calcium, we need a perfect ratio of [calcium + magnesium], which leafy greens have. It’s actually even exactly the same place where strong cows take get from!
4. Have better posture.
Over time, poor posture takes a serious toll on the spine, shoulders, hips, and knees. It can even cause structural flaws that lead to back and joint pain, reduced flexibility, and compromised muscles, all of which limit your ability to burn fat and build strength. Not good! Click here for an easy and effective workout to help you improve your posture.
5. Get up and move more.
According to Dr. James Levine, “Sitting is the new smoking” His recent study shows that sitting for 6+ hours a day drives up blood pressure and raises your risk for diabetes, obesity, depression, and some types of cancer. The answer: Get up and move, even at an easy pace, as often as possible, for as long as possible.
6. Scrape your tongue.
Did you know that while you sleep, your body cleanses itself and deposits toxins onto your tongue? By using a tongue scraper and scraping off the toxins (along with stale bacteria build-up, dead cells, fungi, etc.) it will help prevent or eliminate bad breath, boost the immune system, improve dental health, help the digestive system, kick your food cravings, and even enhance the flavors of food. If they’re not scraped away, they will just be re-absorbed back into the body. Click here to learn more about it, along with my step-by-step guide with pictures!
7. Read more books.
This is one that I personally want to do! There are SO many amazing benefits that come reading (not to mention when you’re reading you aren’t watching TV or checking Facebook or Instagram!). Reading a book improves mental stimulation, reduces stress, fills your mind with new knowledge/information, gives your vocabulary a boost, improves your memory, strengthens your analytical thinking skills, and improves your focus and concentration.
8. Drink raw apple cider vinegar every day.
I adopted this healthy habit in 2014. It took me a little time to get used to the flavor of ACV, but now I almost crave it. It’s a powerful cleansing and healing elixir, a naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic that fights germs and bacteria for a healthier, stronger, longer life. Who wouldn’t want that?! I love it so much, I even wrote a post about it, and include some recipes that will help you get all of the amazing benefits but without the noticeably strong flavor.
9. Stop using toxic toothpaste.
“Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.” Did you know this is the warning that is on your toothpaste tube, unless you use a non-fluoride toothpaste? Go grab your toothpaste and check it out! The FDA began requiring this warning in the late ’90s when it became clear that small children could be seriously injured, or even killed, by fluoride poisoning. Yes, killed by toothpaste. And guess what – it’s toxic for adults too! I wrote a whole post about it, check it out.
10. Surround yourself with positive people.
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Research shows that your environment can have a profound effect on you and having a strong support network in place can actually make you more likely to achieve your goals since it influences your thinking and self-esteem. People will naturally come in and out of your life. Use your intuition to know which ones to keep around and which ones to let go. Releasing negativity from your life opens space to let the new and good flow in.
11. Experiment with natural remedies to fix ailments vs. OTC medicine.
It took a little bit of trial and error with natural remedies to find some that worked really well for my husband and me. We both had engraved into our minds to turn to over the counter medicine when something came up (headache, upset stomach, cold, a cut/scrape, etc.) but many of those have additional side effects and things not naturally found in nature. I didn’t want to do that to my already impaired body 🙂 Now I turn to lots of alternatives, most of which are essential oils.
12. Drink more water, and less sugary drinks.
By staying properly hydrated throughout the day (aim for 64 ounces), you’ll increase your energy, flush out toxins, keep your skin looking young, prevent headaches, and more! Cutting out or at least limiting sugary drinks will help keep your blood sugar levels more stable and reduce weight gain. Stopping sugary drinks cold turkey can be hard, so try to replace it with something healthier, like using Stevia Drops, infusing water with things like strawberries, mint, basil, or cucumber, or making “juice sodas” by adding 2-3 oz of 100% organic fruit juice to a glass of seltzer water.
13. Manage stress better.
When we’re stressed, it can impact our bodies by causing a headache, upset stomach, trouble sleeping, mood swings, tense, depression, relationships may suffer, performance at work or school may suffer – not good! Check out one of my favorite blog posts of 2015 that has TONS of easy ways to help cope with stress naturally. My favorite ways is a really effective breathing technique called 4-7-8 breathing.
Are you a stress eater? Do you reach for the nearest sugary treats when you’re stressed? Check out this post from 2016!
14. Be more organized.
Being more organized will mean you will likely be more productive and be late less. That will lead to less stress, and as you know from checking out the post I talked about in #13, anything that minimizes stress on the body is definitely good and will leave you healthier! What works best for you? Making a list and prioritizing? Taking a couple hours one Sunday afternoon to go through what you need to do or that big mess that has been building in the kitchen and get it organized?
15. Smile more.
Seems like a silly one, but the simple act of smiling does far more than just make you look friendly and prettier, it can change your life and the lives of those around you. Smiling actually changes the chemistry in your body. Numerous medical studies have found smiling to lower heart rate, steady breathing and relax the body, which results in a stronger immune system. Even a fake smile releases serotonin in the brain which tricks the body into making you feel happy.
16. Eat less processed food.
Stick to the outer perimeter when at the grocery store, and limit getting those sneaky “foodlike substances” often found in the inner aisles. These are products of food science and you’ll find them in packages with health claims written on the front of the box. By reading the nutrition label and not being able to identify – or sometimes even pronounce all of the ingredients in the package, you’ll be able to tell that it’s processed and you should stay away!
17. And eat less sugar.
According to a study, sugar is MORE addictive than cocaine. 94% of rats who were allowed to choose between sugar water and cocaine, chose sugar. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you recognize that addiction in yourself too! This is probably the most difficult one on the list for the majority of people, but is so important. Almost every major disease can be linked to excess sugar consumption, plus it causes weight gain, headaches/migraines, hormonal imbalances, and speeds up aging process. Beware of hidden sources of sugar in processed foods (i.e. 1 bottle of Masterpiece BBQ sauce has 168g sugar, and 1 can of Bush’s Baked Beans has 56g sugar!).
18. Add lemon to your water.
I like to have mine in a warm cup of water in the morning. It relaxes by body and gives me a dose of calcium, potassium, vitamin C, and pectin fiber. It also has antibacterial properties which helps boost the immune system, balance the pH of the body, flush toxins, aid in digestion by promoting development of digestive juices, reduce inflammation, and more! Plus it taste delish too. I get so bored of plain ‘ol water, this helps to mix things up.
19. Ladies – Reconsider the Pill.
Did you know that an estimated 150 million women worldwide take birth control pills? The scary thing is, most of them (I was one of them for 10 years!) don’t realize all of the minor to serious health problems they might be causing. Regardless of why you started taking it or are still taking it, there are natural alternatives that are a lot safer. Check out this post I wrote with lots of easy to understand and helpful info!
20. Incorporate strength training.
Don’t use the “but lifting will make me bulky” excuse. It’s not true! Some health benefits from lifting weights or doing resistance training are more effective fat loss, your body uses calories more effectively, body toning and strengthening, improves quality of sleep, increased energy, stress relief, and building/maintaining healthy bones, muscles and joints (did you know after puberty we lose around 1% of our muscle mass every year?! This will help stop, prevent, and even reverse that).
21. Eat enough – but not too much – protein.
If we don’t eat enough protein, our health can suffer. If we eat too much protein, our health can suffer. So what’s the magical number? How much should we strive to eat on a daily basis? For most active females, aim for up to 60 grams a day, and most active males, aim for up to 80 grams a day. Our bodies need protein and its amino acids because they’re the primary building blocks for our muscles, bones, and many hormones. But there’s a limit to how much protein your body can actually use. Eating too much can lead to elevated blood sugar, weight gain, kidney stress, leaching of bone minerals, and stimulate cancer cells.
22. Make your own bone broth.
Making bone broth is one of the easiest and healthiest things you can do for your body! It is a mineral-rich infusion made by boiling bones of healthy animals with a variety of vegetables, herbs and spices. One of most people’s interactions with broth is in the form of soup. The reason it’s such a fantastic source of nutrients/minerals is that they enter our bodies a form that are easily absorbed. It contains amino acids that help reduce inflammation, arthritis, and join pain. It has collagen that helps give our skin strength and elasticity – aka helps fight wrinkles! If you’re feeling any types of aches and pains, bone broth will help relieve them by its anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps prevent bone loss (after puberty we lose about 1% of our bone density every year!) and built healthy hair, skin and nails…and MORE!
Click here to check out my post to learn even more information about why it’s so great and see how to do it. It’s way easier than it sounds, try it out!
23. Air out your house, even in the winter.
Open the windows of your house for an hour everyday. We tend to think of air pollution as something that’s outside (smog, ozone, or haze hanging in the air) but the air inside homes can actually be more polluted than the air outside! Think about it. The air inside your home has pollutants lingering and building up. These pollutants are caused by lead found in house dust, formaldehyde in wood or insulation, fire-retardants in furniture, and even chemicals from fragrances used in conventional cleaners and paint. Some are also tracked into the home on shoes.
24. Strive for alkalinity.
Most of us don’t spend a lot of time (or any) thinking about our body’s’ pH level. Well why should we? If you think back to middle school science class, pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution – or in this case our body’s tissues and fluids. Our bodies function at their peak with a level that is slightly more alkaline, with a pH of 7.35-7.45. Keeping your system alkaline will increase your energy, alleviate anxiety, help with weight loss and help prevent a lot of lifestyle diseases including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s just to mention a few! Click here to learn more and see which foods to eat and which foods to limit.
25. Have a smoothie or fresh juice everyday.
If everyday is a lot, start slower and aim for a few days a week. Smoothies are a great way to get servings of fruits and vegetables, they’re simple and quick to make, cleansing to the body, and full of nutrients. Not to mention they’re so tasty! Did you know that 80% of your body’s energy is spent digesting and assimilating your nutrients? So why not support your body to do less work? When you blend your foods, you are supporting digestion; your body doesn’t have to work so hard to break down the nutrients, as they are in a pre-digestible state. Check out these recipes!
26. Switch to glass containers.
For foods and beverages, it’s a lot safer and healthier to store, use, heat them up in glass containers than plastic. There are many different kinds of plastics out there. We’ve heard a lot about BPA and how bad it is for us, and even see some plastic containers being labeled as “BPA free,” inferring that they are safer. But the more I look into it, the more I’m realizing that there are no safe plastics. This study concluded that most plastics, not just those containing BPA, release estrogenic chemicals. These can lead to a variety of health issues, including cancer, birth defects, fertility problems, immune system suppression, and developmental problems in children.
27. Eat organic whenever you can, especially the Dirty Dozen.
This one’s super important. There are hundreds of studies linking pesticides/herbicides in conventional produce with asthma, autism, learning disabilities, birth defects, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and several types of cancer. Whenever you can, please buy organic produce. I know sometimes it’s more expensive, but the way I think of it: would I rather spend a little more now or spend a lot more later if eating conventional foods leads me to develop one of those side effect illnesses? Good news is – there are some ways to do it on a budget! Click here to learn more and which are ok to buy non-organic.
28. Practice mindful eating.
It’s something I absolutely struggle with: paying attention to when I’m physically hungry, or when I’m emotionally hungry (usually this means I’m bored or wanting to procrastinate, sometimes it even means I’m happy and want to celebrate with a snack). Raise your hand if you can relate! Once you have identified if your hunger is “real hunger,” practicing mindful eating exercises should help you to feel more satisfied at the end of your meal, eat less, and help your overall health as well (i.e. better digestion). Tricks like minimizing distractions, eating slowly, putting your fork down between bites, and using all 5 senses to experience your food. Click here to check out my post on this topic to learn more tips!
29. Don’t compare yourself to others.
“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” [Steve Furtick] We all do it! I don’t know why we do it, all I know is that we just do it. We compare ourselves with others: friends, siblings, even strangers. Most of the time it goes something like this: “wow, that girl has all the luck!” (suddenly we feel bad or jealous, and for no good reason). We tend to compare their best aspect with our worst. This isn’t good at all for our confidence and self-esteem. If you find the need to compare, compare with yourself. Strive to be the best possible versions of yourself. Remind yourself no one is perfect, and take pride in who you are!
30. Cook more meals at home, eat less out at restaurants.
Good old fashioned home cookin’ is the best way to control portion sizes, the quality of ingredients in meals, and monitor the levels of sodium, fat, and sugar we put into our bodies. What’s also great is you can also modify recipes for your favorite foods to make them into healthier versions…guilt-free! It’s important to make sure you have the right tools in the kitchen for making the most delicious and healthy foods. Click here to check out my list of the top 30 healthy cooking kitchen essentials.
31. Get more exercise.
This one doesn’t have to be boring or something that you dread. Keep things fun and interesting by not doing the same types of workouts. Try dancing, jogging, a class at the gym, a video online, PiYo, HIIT workouts, long walks, etc. Crunched for time? Squeeze in a few minutes here and there when you can, wake up a little earlier, get in some reps during commercials of your favorite shows. Exercising improves sleep, fights stress/anxiety/depression, improves memory and focus, builds and maintains bone/joint/muscle health, and helps prevent or delay effects of disease.
32. Make time for yourself.
Even if it’s once a week, make time to do something you love, have time to relax, or just be by yourself. I find that when I feel like I don’t have the time to slow down, is actually when I need it the most!“You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Most of us are so busy and stressed doing things for other people, that we forget to take care our ourselves. When we forget to care for ourselves the tank begins to run low…and empties, and we can’t help anyone or do anything! We forget that taking time for destressing and self care isn’t selfish, it’s about self preservation, so we’ll be rested and recharged enough to help others and do what we need to do. So do what relaxes you, take a bath, read a book, walk your dog, listen to music, paint your nails, etc.
33. Choose to be positive everyday.
Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and it may even affect your health. Some studies show that optimism/positive thinking is a key part of effective stress management, which can prevent things like stomach and headaches, back pain, depression, and mood swings. Start by becoming more aware of how often you think, feel or say negative things, then practice releasing negative thoughts as soon as they enter your mind and transform them into positive thoughts. Find the positive even in bad situations.
34. Practice gratitude.
I think you’ll find this one related to number 33 as well. Over the past decade, hundreds of studies have documented the social, physical, and psychological benefits of gratitude. Happiness expert Robert Emmons found that gratitude brings us happiness and life satisfaction. It also boosts feelings of optimism, joy, pleasure, enthusiasm, and other positive emotions, while reducing anxiety and depression. Get specific! Think of one thing/person to be grateful for at a time, and then list 5 sentences about it (why you’re grateful for it). Here’s a fun activity you can do alone, or with the whole family!
36. Try oil pulling.
This is a new one I’ve adopted recently, and LOVE! Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy for oral health and detoxification. It involves using a pure oil (like coconut oil) as an agent for pulling harmful bacteria, fungus, and other organisms out of the mouth, teeth, gums, and even throat. It should be done on an empty stomach to ensure maximum benefits (the best times are upon rising and before bed). It helps to prevent cavities and gingivitis, banishes bad breath, and even whitens teeth! I add a couple drops of essential oils to mine too for even more benefits. Check out this video to see how to do it.
37. Eat the rainbow.
No, not of Skittles, of fruits and vegetables! Eating a variety of colors will ensure you are getting a good balance of all the nutrients you need (called phytonutrients). Different phytonutrients are associated with different types/colors of foods. For example, red fruits and vegetables contain lycopene, an important antioxidant. What makes carrots and sweet potatoes orange is another antioxidant called beta-carotene. Anthocyanins, which give blueberries their intense blue color, also have lots of health benefits, including immune support. Be sure to eat enough fat with every meal to help you absorb the nutrients you’re eating (like coconut oil or grass-fed butter).
Not a big fan of eating nutritious foods, like fruits and veggies? Check out this post!
38. Chew your food.
Seems simple and straight forward, but it’s something many of us don’t do enough of. By taking the time to thoroughly chew our food we’re not only breaking it down more but we’re also releasing more saliva, both of which help with better digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
39. Add a probiotic, omega-3, and vitamin D supplement to your diet.
These are the supplement super-trifecta! If you take all 3 of these on a regular basis (as directed), I bet you will see noticeable benefits to your health. Did you know 80% of your immune system is located in your gut? Probiotics adds “good bacteria” to your gut to keep it healthy so it can keep you healthy. I take this one. Omega-3’s benefit your heart and brain health, regulates cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, fights wrinkles, protects vision, and more! I use this one. Vitamin D is something most everyone is deficient in. Sunlight is the best source, but spending hours outside in the sun – especially year round – is near impossible. Low levels of vitamin D are linked to a number of different conditions (like certain cancers, muscle weakness, type 2 diabetes, and schizophrenia). I use this one.
40. Release the doubt.
One of the hardest parts of a health journey is the constant doubt. Doubt that you’re doing it “right,” doubt that you can actually meet your goals, doubt that others will believe in and encourage you, doubt that you can overcome challenges and obstacles, doubt that you are worthy of the change. Don’t forget that your health journey is just that: a journey, not a destination. Not a number or a size. Starting out can be hard and overwhelming, especially with all of those doubts, but start small. Before you know it, your little changes will add up to a sustainable lifestyle change. Never stop moving forward, learn from your mistakes and move on. Continue to challenge yourself and grow, admit when you’ve slipped, and pick yourself right back up!
41. Re-think your approach to weight loss.
Have you been jumping from diet to diet, chasing your weight loss goals? Have you experimented with calorie counting, food restriction, journaling in an app, or created restrictive food rules for yourself? Has it worked? Do you look and feel as fantastic as you know you should? If so – great for you! You’re one of the <5% of people that responds well to diets. If not, welcome to the other >95% of us 🙂 I want you to know that you are not alone in your struggle. I used to have a terrible relationship with food. I was super controlling of food I allowed myself to eat, hungry all the time, was trapped in a restrict-binge cycle, and said “I’ll start again on Monday” nearly every week when I fell off the wagon. I even thought meal plans would solve all my problems.
We make looking and feeling amazing harder than it needs to be! Check out this post about breaking free from the dieting cycle, but if you’d like more customized help, let me know!
42. Embrace healthy food swaps.
I like to consider myself the queen of healthy food swaps 🙂 I LOVE food, but I do not love feeling tired and bloated like how I’d feel if I ate certain unhealthy foods. So instead of giving up all foods you enjoy just to reach your goals, make some simple swaps. Like these: Love chocolate pudding but not the sugar that comes in it? Try this! Love Parmesan cheese but not the dairy? Try this! Love cool whip but not all the chemicals that come in it? Try this!
Want LOTS more healthy food swaps? Check out my Healthy Food Swaps for a Healthier You webinar recording.
43. Get tested for food sensitivities.
“One man’s food is another man’s poison” is a familiar saying which simply states that different people can have very different reactions to exactly the same food. This even applies to nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, and meats. Often times, we are eating things that hold us back from looking and feeling like the best version of ourselves.
Did you know 9 out of 10 people have food sensitivities, and don’t even know it?? Your symptoms include (one- or multiple-of): chronic headaches or migraines, digestive problems (bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation), tired all the time, break out in random rashes or acne, have gained weight in “trouble areas” and are having a hard time losing weight, mood swings, brain fog, joint pain, dizziness, runny nose, eczema, anxiety, dark circles under eyes.
Want to learn more about ways to see if you have food sensitivities? Click here!
44. Don’t strive for perfection.
“When you screw up, skip a workout or eat a bad meal, it doesn’t make you a person, it makes you human. Welcome to the club. there’s like 7 billion of us.” I came across this quote somewhere online and it’s SO TRUE! Do you have the belief that you have to be perfect? That your health, happiness and/or weight is dependent upon whether or not you have a glass of wine when hanging with friends or have a bowl of ice cream after a long hard day? Yes? The pressure/stress you put on yourself is probably making you feel worse than the “imperfect” food ever would.
The pressure to be perfect wasn’t worth it or necessary. I’m a Health Coach, I care a lot about what goes into my body and usually make food choices that give it the nutrients and fuel it needs to help me do what I want to do now and in the future, AND I sometimes skip workouts, and I sometimes eat unhealthy foods, but I accept it and MOVE ON. I want you to do that too!
Thanks for checking out my top 40 ways to be healthier in 2017. I really hope that you try some of these and enjoy them! Keep me posted in the comments section below 🙂
