5 Things You Should Know to Make the New Year Healthier

By Ernst Lamothe Jr

 

Philip Smith is a registered dietitian at Oswego Health: “New beginnings can occur at any time of the year and don’t need to fall off like so many New Year’s resolutions do.”

The New Year is often filled with hope and high expectations. By the end of the month, all that can turn to disappointment.

That occurs because people put all their efforts into living their best life and year in the early weeks and when things slightly fall off, they become dejected. However, health professionals want you to know your healthy journey can always be reset.

“While the new year is a great opportunity to kick start your new health goals, it’s not the only time you can make a change. New beginnings can occur at any time of the year and don’t need to fall off like so many New Year’s resolutions do,” said Philip Smith, a registered dietitian at Oswego Health. “Lifestyle changes are an ever-evolving process that requires work day by day. Start small, make realistic goals that are measurable and achievable and don’t get discouraged by small setbacks.”

 

1 — Avoid fad diets

It’s easy to lose weight on a diet. But as soon you stop following the restrictive rules of that diet you gain it all back and then some. Most diets work on the basis of limitations by cutting out entire food groups. Despite their strict guidelines, these diets remain effective only because they reduce your overall calories.

“What they fail to do is foster a positive mind set, establish a healthy relationship with food or achieve sustainable weight loss,” said Smith. “In the end it mostly boils down to consistent behavior changes with slow manageable goals and setting in place repeatable habits.”

 

2 — Healthy habit myths

Healthy eating seems daunting. It requires constant perfection without any room for the foods that you enjoy. This perspective gets in the way of feeling able to succeed, leading many to get discouraged at the slightest missteps and unwilling to make changes that seem so unattainable.

“The truth is that eating healthy doesn’t look the same for everyone and it doesn’t work as a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Smith. “It begins as a unique approach with individual goals that reflect each person’s situation including their economic status, time constraints, support system, geographic location and personal motivation. What you see on social media doesn’t reflect what is best or healthiest for you. The latest and greatest superfood or exercise regimen may be enticing, but it is not likely to be the quick fix solution that will change your life.”

In addition, Smith suggests meal prep, eating balanced meals with lean protein and non starchy vegetables and drinking water.

 

3 — Avoiding bad habits

Oftentimes healthy living makes people creative in a negative way. They look to shortsighted, shortcuts to achieve success.

“We see a lot of people who perform unhealthy habits such as skipping meals to get their desired results,” he added.

In addition, you should stay away from time-honored nutrition pitfalls. “Make sure you are not eating late at night before bed, extra calories from drink and eating fast food several times a week,” he said.

 

4 — Move your body

Many physicians recommend using the American Heart Association guideline of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week. Moderate intensity exercise should elevate your heart rate and make you start to sweat. Walking doesn’t cost a thing and can be done just about anywhere. It is also important to add in weight and resistance training for muscle and bone health and stretching for flexibility.

“It is undeniable the necessity of exercise in our health. Physical activity plays a crucial role in our overall well being. It improves our functional ability, strength, focus, resilience, mental health and ability to live independently,” said Smith. “It is also a necessary component to sustaining weight loss and weight maintenance. Exercise has benefits even in small doses. It only takes 30-45 minutes of exercise three to four days per week to see improvements. Physical activity comes in different forms including cardio, flexibility, stretching and weight resistance. Benefits come from a combination of all three but most of us today will benefit from the simple inclusion of more movement into our daily routine.”

 

5 — Why should you care?

Lifestyle decisions early in life play major roles in the conditions we deal with later on. Rates of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and obesity are all drastically increasing.

“These chronic conditions aren’t in the immediate impact of one single decision today but are compounded by the little choices and habits we engage with every day.” said Smith. “Making small changes today can have a huge impact on our health in the future by helping us to avoid frequent hospital stays, take endless medication, suffer from compounding conditions and allow us to be able to live our lives independently.”