12 Health Resolutions That Have Nothing to do With Losing Weight
We are over a month into 2021. And, I’m guessing your motivation for those health-based resolutions is starting to wane.
Don’t put yourself down. We all do it.
Every year I have declared unpractical goals.
Get shredded!— What am I, a carrot?
Give up ALL sugar!— But…
Give up coffee!— Do you want to see me cry? Because I will.
Run 6 days a week!— Am I being chased?
Jump over a moat!— Wait...when did I buy a castle?! Please tell me it’s in Scotland…
And the worse…
Lose the so-called “weight.”
Ugh. Just...ugh.
I vowed to myself this year that I wouldn’t even think about writing the words lose and weight next to each other. I was resolute in not writing any resolutions.
I was a personal trainer for years and I LOVED January. It was such a great month for business. And while I loved helping my clients get their health back, it was a temporary solution. Did they lose weight? Sure. Were they able to PR runs, come back from injuries, and play longer with their children? Of course.
But, a lot of times, it was putting bandaids on a much larger wound. Weight gain or getting “out-of-shape” are often symptoms of something larger. Be it a medical condition or mental health or something else, there is often more than one culprit. Even if you like to eat and watch Netflix...have you ever thought maybe you are avoiding your feelings about something?
I know, ew, feelings. But it’s something to think about.
So, I am declaring persona non grata on weight-loss resolutions this year!
Instead, I am trying something different. I am affording myself the grace to work on resolutions that will help with the bigger picture. If you are looking for some resolutions that will improve your overall health, here are a few suggestions.
Physical Resolutions
Make the doctor appointment
You know what I’m talking about. The pain you’ve been having, the teeth that need cleaning, the thing you’ve been putting off until you have “time.” Well, here is your sign. Make the appointment. We often don’t prioritize our health because of the inconvenience of it. But nothing will be more inconvenient than having a serious health issue from an ignored problem.
Mark the day on your calendar and set a reminder on your phone. Take 15-20 minutes next Tuesday to schedule your appointments.
Find a counselor
Even if your life is hunky-dory, that doesn’t mean you can't benefit from a counselor/therapist. Because, I’m sorry, my dear, but everyone has something they need to work on or through. And sometimes physical pain/headaches/stomach issues manifest because of stress or repression.
So, let’s not do that anymore. Let this be the year that when the white-haired snow queen screams “let it go,” we can confidently say “I'm working on it!”
Try a new mode of activity
I tried a Zumba class once. And I was terrible. I love to dance, but that was like choreography that my hips and upper body could not compute. Even so, I thought it was a hoot. I laughed and continued to laugh after the class. I laughed as I told my friends/family/barista about my attempt.
When engaging in a new mode of activity we challenge our minds and our bodies. This allows for awesome things to happen like neurogenesis, increased confidence, and sharpening our mental abilities (1).
Make sleep a priority
If there is one new consistent activity you decide to add to your routine, let it be sleep. That’s right, sleep. Lack of sleep can cause an increased risk of heart disease, depression, kidney disease, decreased metabolism, decreased physical performance, and more. If the physical side effects weren't enough, lack of sleep can also cause a ton of mental performance issues (2).
I suspect you wouldn’t leave your house without your phone charged, so you should extend that same courtesy to your mind and body. The best, and often, non-popular advice? Set a bed/wake time. Do it every day (even weekends), no technology in bed (TV, cellphones, etc.), and create a wind-down routine.
Environmental
Education
One of the best ways to take care of your body (and this earth) is by educating yourself. I challenge you to make this the year that you learn about how your environment affects your well being. Everything from what you put into your body to what is happening with climate change.
There are several educational resources online, but all I am going to ask you to do is watch some TV. That’s right. This resolution involves allocating once a month to watch an environmental documentary. Netflix has a few great ones such as:
Kiss the Ground
The Game Changers
Minimalism
David Attenborough: A life on Our Planet
...and many more.
Volunteer
I know time may be a big factor in this one, but you don’t need to devote every weekend to volunteering. But look ahead for the next few months and dedicate one or two days to volunteering. Some things may not even take all day. For example, in my town, the sea turtle rescue center hosts a trash bash every month. They meet on a Saturday morning and spend a couple of hours keeping our beach clean.
Science has shown that volunteering can decrease the risk of depression, stress, and help you live longer (3,4). Look for a trash bash, animal sanctuary, community garden, or start one of your own!
Go meatless (even for one day a week)
Did you know that it takes 2,000-8,000 gallons of water to produce a single pound of ground beef? One pound= 2,000 (at least) gallons of water. Also, the meat industry creates as much carbon emissions as the auto industry (5). That’s a lot of cow farts.
In all seriousness, this is a serious problem. By taking just one day a week and dubbing it a meatless day, you could be helping save our environment and your health. Not sure what to eat? Here is an example of a typical day for me:
Breakfast: Banana pancakes
Snack: Carrots and hummus
Lunch: Morrocan chickpea bowl
Snack: Tea and apple with peanut butter
Dinner: Lentil sloppy joes
Support local farmer markets/businesses
Nothing says weekend and community support like patronizing your local farmer’s market! Not only will you get seasonal, fresh fruit and veggies, but you are also stimulating the local economy. Buying local also helps lower the production and shipping energy costs.
I recommend going to the farmer’s market on your weekly meal planning day. Go pick up what looks good, and then plan around it. This saves you time throughout your week. It also helps save money at the grocery store when you go to buy the remaining ingredients.
Mental
Start a morning/night routine
Have ever had one of those mornings where nothing is going right? You wake up late, no time to shower, you can’t find any clean clothes or matching shoes. You don’t have time for breakfast so you gulp down coffee as you frantically leave your house. Stress and blood pressure elevated and it’s only 7:30 am.
Create and stick with a routine that works for you. I know it may sound trite, but seriously. It has helped me so much. I do the same things every night before bed and every morning when I wake up.
My nighttime routine is all about winding down and prepping for the morning. The best part? I am as relaxed on a Tuesday morning as I am on Saturday. I get out of bed and have my coffee while looking over my schedule and writing in my 5 Second Journal. Then I do a workout, shower, breakfast, and I am ready to start my day. I'm usually done before 8 am. Try it--it’s life-changing!
Integrate a meditation practice
Again, I know this isn’t something new. Meditation has been around for thousands of years.
But people often shoot it down before they try it. Because nowadays, sitting still for a few minutes and trying to clear your mind is far harder than watching your latest binge. But, if you are looking to reduce stress, anxiety, and increase your brain’s functionality, you need to do meditation (5).
Starting a meditation practice can be intimidating. But we are very fortunate to be living in an era of accessibility. You can find dozens of meditation apps on your phone, videos on YouTube, books, and more. I have personally used both the Headspace and the Calm app, and I loved them both. I currently use Calm because I love their sleep stories, music, mental fitness, and daily clams that focus on new topics each day.
Learn about boundaries
I have often found that when I’m learning about something, I’m adopting that mindset. This is why for a week after watching Bridgerton, I talked with regency flair. And when I started learning and reading about boundaries, I started adopting a mindset that focused more on conserving energy than expending it. Like the simple act of saying no.
Boundaries aren’t a new topic, per se, but it is becoming a more mainstream mental health practice. Take some time to learn about what emotional, physical, spiritual boundaries are important to you. In a helpful Healthline article, they give The No BS Guide to Protecting your Emotional Space (link below, 6)
Start a journal
When I was in middle school, I had a journal. I wrote page after page about really important things. Like which boy I had a crush on, how we were obvi Romeo and Juliet (before I actually understood what that meant). Mean kids, drama with friends, and how badly I wanted to marry a Backstreet Boy. These days, my journal entries are much more profound (mostly) and extremely cathartic.
I have found that sometimes I don’t know how I feel about something until I have it written on the page. The physical act of taking my thought and writing them down is a release of mental baggage. Also, I have crazy dreams and it’s hilarious to go back and read them from time to time.
Even if you aren’t going to spend hours writing Tolkien length entires, brain dumping your thoughts and emotions on the page is proven to help with those pesky buggers like anxiety and depression. It can also help engage your brain in critical thinking and stop over-thinking (7).
Conclusion:
Whether you decide to try all of the ideas above or just one, remember the point of a resolution isn’t all or nothing. The act of taking steps or trying something new is awesome on its own.
The most important thing to remember is the why behind your reason to have a resolution. Because when the act doesn’t work, go back to the drawing board of the why and start again. Perhaps you can journal or meditate on it?
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Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging/rev-up-your-thinking-skills-by-trying-something-new
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/understanding-Sleep
healthline.com/health/mental-health/set-boundaries
https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-journaling/
