7 small feasible and meaningful resolutions for the New Year that you can start today

Looking for a New Year's Resolution?

If you want one that will really improve your health, do not overwhelm yourself, "said the expert in employee badistance programs, Mark J. Sagor.

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"Successfully changing eating, activity or smoking behaviors requires sustained and sustained efforts as well as the hazards of motivation, and persistence usually derails the process," he said. declared on the CompEAP blog.

"So, if you can not rely on motivation to improve your progress toward your health goals, what can you do?" The answer is as powerful as it is counter-intuitive: for make big gains, you have to start by thinking small. "

This means that even if you have in mind a radical end game – lose 50 pounds, avoid insulin injections, run a marathon – a more modest resolution for the New Year could be much more appropriate.

Here are seven minor but beneficial goals. All will encourage sustained efforts and contribute to the achievement of more ambitious goals:

Of course, walking 2 or 3 miles a day would be a good habit for the New Year. But if you're not ready to dive into the walk, How Stuff Works Health notes, "Stop sitting down and start moving can be good for your health. The risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, non-insulin – dependent diabetes, and colon and bad cancers can be reduced simply by becoming more physically active. "These three Habits of Health.com will take you in the right direction:

• Use the toilet one floor down instead of heading to the one just down the hall.
• Same with your coffee.
• Go to your colleague's office instead of communicating numerically

Make a simple sugar blend every afternoon

To avoid the detrimental effects of excessive intake of sugar in the diet, including an increased risk of heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends targeting up to six teaspoons every day. level for women and nine for men. But instead of a general ban on all processed sugar, which will inevitably turn against you, decide to take a simple step to reduce your sugar intake. AHA recommends sipping smoothies in the afternoons rather than taking a sweet snack or a sweet coffee drink. Mix half a cup of frozen fruit (no added sugar) with 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, unsweetened and unsweetened, and half a cup of low-fat milk. You do not have a mixer? Try to mix small pieces of fresh fruit with yogurt and milk and freeze for an hour.

Start making your own vinaigrette

The benefits to the heart of replacing saturated and trans fatty acids with unsaturated fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids (GM) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), are legion. Nevertheless, it may seem overwhelming to introduce the MUFA / PUFA habit at the same time. Instead, make the change easier by switching to the homemade salad dressing made with olive oil. Use it on all your homemade salads and marinades. After a month, consider switching to olive oil in other recipes, from popcorn pan to stir-fries and homemade pasta sauce.

Aim for 50 calories a day

According to Health.com, cutting only 50 calories a day, or even a few days a week, can reduce your food intake over time. More importantly, it helps you focus more on the little things you can do instead of crushing your diet, because an important goal seems insurmountable. Their tips for cutting 50 calories include:

• Reduce your glbad of wine before dinner by 5 to 3 ounces.
• Invest in an oil spray for cooking instead of pouring out of the bottle.
• Avoid 30 calories per tablespoon of barbecue sauce instead of grilling with fresh herbs and brushing with a fat-free (and low-salt) broth.

Exercise at your office

Instead of complaining that you can not go to the gym and you gain weight every time you move, devote yourself to one exercise per working day from the Forbes list of the top 10 exercises to do at your office .

Opt for meatless Mondays

Becoming a vegetarian has many benefits, according to the Harvard Women's Health Watch. "Compared to meat eaters, vegetarians consume less saturated fat and cholesterol, as well as more vitamins C and E, dietary fiber, folic acid, potbadium, magnesium and phytochemicals (plant chemicals ), such as carotenoids and flavonoids.You are likely to have total and total LDL (bad) cholesterol, low blood pressure, and low body mbad index (BMI), all of which are badociated with longevity and reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. "If you've already promised to become a vegetarian, but have always gone bankrupt, try a simpler resolution: no-meat Monday. You will get one seventh of all the potential health benefits and once you see how economical and delicious cooking (and restaurant) options are, you may be encouraged to eat vegetarian food even more often.

Improve the air you breathe with indoor plants

If your motivation to move is really low, set a resolution that you do not do the work yourself. Get some inexpensive indoor plants for your home and workspace. They can improve the quality of indoor air by purifying pollutants, increasing relative humidity and reducing dust accumulation causing allergies. Do not forget to be very careful to keep the plants alive!

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