Now is the time to start questioning the old saying “New Year, New You.” Any change in habits must be incorporated into our lives gradually. Don’t wait for the calendar to tell you it’s time to lead a healthier lifestyle, start today! The best we can do is make small changes in our daily habits that help us feel healthier, stronger and full of energy to start the New Year.

The Holidays are fast approaching and that means the New Year isn’t far behind! If you’re planning on making changes in January, there’s no better time than the present to start updating your routines and build some healthy habits.

Create a Healthy Sleep Routine

Sleep is vital for your overall health and physical recovery. It’s important to get enough sleep for every aspect of your life and there are little habits you can incorporate into your daily routine to make sure you have a healthy sleep routine. Some of my favorite tips are:

Exercising regularly- This will improve the quality of your sleep and help your muscles recover from that day’s activities. Cardio, high-intensity-interval training, yoga, weightlifting – you name it, any kind of exercise can have a positive impact on your sleep.

Drink a calming tea– Before going to bed, make yourself an herbal tea or infusion that is caffeine-free like chamomile tea. It will help you feel calm and ready for bed. After time, this routine will train your brain to slow down as you’re getting ready for sleep.

Avoid eating large meals or calorie-dense snacks before bed– Go to bed at least two hours after you last ate food for the best chance at a good night’s sleep and a healthy diet. If you go to bed with a full stomach, you might have trouble falling asleep and it can be harder to digest your last meal. Aim for 8 hours of sleep every night: this will increase your energy levels and will get you through a busy day.

While you can’t always control everything that affects your sleep, you can make small improvements that help your overall health while improving the quality of your sleep. Having a sleep routine will benefit your health by reducing stress, improve your mood and be more focus during school or world.

Enjoy a Diet Rich in Fresh Vegetables

It’s very common at this time of year that we all tend to overindulge. There are holiday parties, family get-togethers, and traveling that sometimes make it difficult for us to stay on track and make healthy eating choices.

While it’s ok to treat ourselves during the holidays, incorporating fresh vegetables into your meals and snacks will provide much needed nutrient, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. This switch can significantly improve the quality of your diet.

The good news is that incorporating fresh vegetables into every meal is easy to do!

It isn’t necessary to create extreme meal plans or follow strict diets: a first step towards improving your well-being can be to eliminate those ultra-processed foods from day to day, which usually include excess sugars, fats, salt, and additives, and are usually highly caloric. Try to replace those food with healthy veggie snacks on-the-go. This will keep you satisfied all day and ensure you benefit from all the essential nutrients you need daily.

Another great tip is to add fresh vegetables to your breakfast. This is a simple way to increase the number of veggies you are consuming every day while giving you a great boost first thing in the morning. Omelets, casseroles, quiches, veggie hash browns, and toppings on toast are a great way to add extra veggies. You can try easy recipes like Sheet Pan Breakfast Sandwiches, Mini Pepper Egg Bites or Balsamic Avo Toast as a starting point to incorporate fresh vegetables into a delicious and healthy breakfast.

Starting your day with healthy veggies will keep you satisfied for longer while getting nutrients you need.

Find Time for Yourself

Having a healthy lifestyle also involves feeling happy and healthy. Sometimes, you just need to put yourself first! It’s important to dedicate time to yourself and practice activities that you enjoy and make you feel good. Yoga, Pilates, hiking, drawing, crafting, or spending time outside in nature are all simple activities that involve disconnecting and spending time with yourself. Take a little time out of each day to check in with yourself, turn off your phone, and prioritize your own well-being. This simple daily exercise will improve your mental health and reduce stress.

A good way to stay connected with yourself and still enjoy other things in life is finding balance in your days. Everything is a slow process and building new and healthy habits can take time, but the benefits of finding time to keep doing your favourite activities are definitely worth it!

Maintain Physical Activity

You should set up realistic goals in terms of the physical activity you will be doing at the end of the year. This is a very busy time for everyone and it’s easy to get caught up in million to-do lists, especially if you have kids at home. It’s best to stick to a routine of consistent physical exercise rather than sporadic bursts with high intensity. Improving your health and well-being isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon: you need to find a pace that works for you.

Try to add strength and cardiovascular activities three or four times a week, even for half an hour at a time. It’s also important to understand that when we talk about physical exercise, we are talking about movement: walking, climbing stairs, vigorous housework, yard work, and dancing around in your house are all examples of activities that involve movement that will help you maintain good health. Toning exercises like weightlifting will increase your muscle mass, help you burn more calories, and make you feel healthier and stronger.

Most importantly, remember that big changes start with small steps. Make sure to slowly incorporate these tips, but don’t wait until the New Year – take charge of your own well-being today and you’ll start feeling great before January 1^st! Start by improving your sleep, incorporating vegetables to your meals, finding time for yourself, and practicing physical activity regularly.

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