And the problem isn't that people pledge to be healthier, which is both a common resolution and a fine goal in and of itself. No, the issue is that in living up to this pledge, people often try to run before they crawl.
Instead of rushing out to buy a gym membership or find another all-or-nothing solution, there's some smaller steps we can all take to ease into the idea of improving ourselves.
Once we get used to some smaller steps provided by these 12 easy tips, we'll have some better footing to decide where we want to take ourselves next.
1. Don't leave home without your water bottle.
It's one of the most essential ingredients to keeping us alive, but it's surprising how easy it is to neglect our hydration. It's not like we're letting ourselves die of thirst, but even mild dehydration can be an unnecessary drain on our energy.
Fortunately, there's a really simple solution. Get yourself a stylish and durable water bottle and bring it with you as you go about your day. That way, you can fuel up anytime you feel yourself get a little thirsty.
Fortunately, there's a really simple solution. Get yourself a stylish and durable water bottle and bring it with you as you go about your day. That way, you can fuel up anytime you feel yourself get a little thirsty.
2. Nothing beats some nice home cooking.
Not only will you save a lot of money by cooking food yourself, but you'll know exactly how much salt and sugar you're using. With ready-made or even restaurant quality stuff, you're not always sure exactly what goes into what you're eating.
And so, it's no surprise that home cooking tends to win out as the healthier choice.
And so, it's no surprise that home cooking tends to win out as the healthier choice.
3. Keep the aroma of oranges or lavender around you.
It may not sound like it would do much, but this study found that dental patients experienced lower anxiety and increased alertness when the smell of oranges or lavender was added to their waiting room experience.
Apparently, it doesn't even have to involve actual oranges, so it's a nice easy way to brighten your day.
Apparently, it doesn't even have to involve actual oranges, so it's a nice easy way to brighten your day.
4. Follow the 20/20/20 rule.
You're obviously reading this off a screen right now, but there's also a good chance that they're a big part of your day-to-day life in general. So it may not be possible to give your eyes a particularly long break from looking at screens, but that doesn't mean you have to put up with eyestrain.
An easy way to help rest your eyes is the 20/20/20 rule, in which after every 20 minutes of screen watching, you look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. With those short breaks, you should be able to keep on working without your eyes slowing you down.
An easy way to help rest your eyes is the 20/20/20 rule, in which after every 20 minutes of screen watching, you look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. With those short breaks, you should be able to keep on working without your eyes slowing you down.
5. Keep your posture on point.
This has as much to do with the kind of chair you're sitting in as it does with how you're sitting, but it's important to remember if you're going to be spending a lot of time sitting there. Remember that the key is to maintain a position that's aligned with the natural curve of your spine.
The curves of your chair should fit nicely in the small of your back and you should be able to keep your feet flat on the floor comfortably. This way, you can avoid back pain, fatigue, and poor circulation.
The curves of your chair should fit nicely in the small of your back and you should be able to keep your feet flat on the floor comfortably. This way, you can avoid back pain, fatigue, and poor circulation.
6. Practice mindful eating.
This idea comes from the more general Buddhist concept of mindfulness, in which a person should be conscious of everything going on within and around them. When it comes to eating, however, it has more to do with really feeling the sensations of your food while you eat it and examining what compels you to eat.
Eating mindfully requires a slower, more contemplative eating process, which both helps with digestion and better equips you to realize when you're not physically hungry anymore. That way, you can prevent overeating rather than regret it after it's already happened.
Eating mindfully requires a slower, more contemplative eating process, which both helps with digestion and better equips you to realize when you're not physically hungry anymore. That way, you can prevent overeating rather than regret it after it's already happened.
7. Don't underestimate the power of flossing.
Yes, there's a reason your dentist is so insistent that you floss regularly.
Not only does it keep your gums nice and healthy, which prevents tooth decay, but it also may have a positive role in preventing heart disease, which is sometimes linked to tooth loss.
Not only does it keep your gums nice and healthy, which prevents tooth decay, but it also may have a positive role in preventing heart disease, which is sometimes linked to tooth loss.
8. Take any chance to walk you can find.
Whether it's taking the stairs instead of using the elevator or getting off the bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way, you're going to want to walk as much as possible. Walking is positively linked to decreased risks of heart disease and diabetes and helps strengthen your bones and muscles.
Plus, it's a nice way to pick your mood up if you're going through a little stress.
Plus, it's a nice way to pick your mood up if you're going through a little stress.
9. Don't go to the grocery store on an empty stomach.
The hungrier you are when you shop, the more it's going to influence what you buy. If you want to make sure you're shopping with your head and not your stomach, eat before you leave for the supermarket.
10. Wait until late in the day to go shoe shopping.
Have you ever felt that your shoes don't fit as well when you get home as they did at the store? According to Dr. Michele Summers Colon, that's probably because you didn't buy them when your feet were at their largest, which happens in the evening.
But if you time your shopping right, you'll find that your shoes will feel just how they should and won't feel too tight or painful.
But if you time your shopping right, you'll find that your shoes will feel just how they should and won't feel too tight or painful.
11. Take off your underwear before you go to bed.
According to Dr. Sherry Thomas, wearing no undergarments allows the genitals to air dry and reduces the growth of bacteria that could otherwise give you a nasty bladder infection.
Since the most convenient time to go without underwear is overnight, sleeping without underwear is the best way to ensure you keep your bladder healthy while avoiding any unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions.
Since the most convenient time to go without underwear is overnight, sleeping without underwear is the best way to ensure you keep your bladder healthy while avoiding any unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions.
12. Keep your music player at a moderate volume.
It may seem hard to believe, but most MP3 players available today can pound out up to 120 decibels of sound. At that level, a listener can experience hearing loss within an hour and 15 minutes of sonic exposure.
To prevent this hearing damage, Dr. James Foy recommends the 60/60 rule. This means listening to your music at up to 60% of the player's maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes per day. And if you've got your headphones on and you can't hear anything around you, they're too loud. Because hearing loss is irreversible, Dr. Foy stresses the importance of preventing it as much as possible.
To prevent this hearing damage, Dr. James Foy recommends the 60/60 rule. This means listening to your music at up to 60% of the player's maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes per day. And if you've got your headphones on and you can't hear anything around you, they're too loud. Because hearing loss is irreversible, Dr. Foy stresses the importance of preventing it as much as possible.
Collage image via kotoffei / Shutterstock
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