STAR HEALTH DESK

Changing your lifestyle and giving up bad habits are great ways to improve your health and well-being at the beginning of a new year. While only a small percentage of people actually keep their resolutions, here are some steps you may follow to get healthier in the new year and achieve your health goals.

Lose weight and keep it off: Losing weight is one of the most important steps toward better health. Losing five to ten per cent of your body weight can help lower your risk of chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. If you are ready to start shedding pounds, eat healthy food, get regular physical activity, and follow some weight-loss tips that really work.

Eat a healthy diet: Healthy eating involves both what you eat and how you eat. Getting your recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day is important because fruits and veggies are low in calories and fat, high in fibre, and rich sources of vitamins and minerals. Foods that contain fibre keep you feeling full, which helps you lose weight.

Eating too fast can cause you to overeat, so slow down and chew each bite carefully. Turn off the TV, put your phone away, and enjoy the textures and flavours of the meal. As you eat, it can take your brain up to 20 minutes to get the message from your stomach that you are no longer hungry, so stop eating before you feel full.

Sit less, move more: If you have not exercised for a while, going to a gym every day may not be a realistic goal. Making a resolution to simply add more physical activity into your daily life is more attainable. An easy way to become active is to sit less and move more. Park farther away from the entrance to the grocery store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and exercise while you watch TV.

As you become more physically active, you will start to feel better over time—and you will not feel quite right if you go back to your old ways.

Schedule an annual checkup: Seeing your doctor each year can help you stay healthy. Regular checkups and preventive screenings allow your doctor to identify minor health issues before they become bigger problems. And treatment is often more effective when an illness is detected early. Be sure to visit your doctor each year for a regular checkup, even if you feel healthy.

Take steps to reduce stress: Learning how to manage stress is an important part of taking care of yourself and maintaining good overall mental and physical health. If your stress is getting out of control, simple activities like practising breathing exercises, going for a walk, or listening to music can help restore calm to your life. Chronic stress takes a toll on your health and well-being, so explore healthy ways to relieve stress.

Get more sleep: Good quality sleep boosts your immune system and promotes emotional wellness by giving your mind time to rest and recharge. Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine, limiting screen time before bed, and creating a quiet sleep environment can help you get the sleep you need. If you suffer from insomnia, take steps to reduce stress and follow some tips for better sleep.

Create a plan to stop smoking: Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body and is the leading cause of preventable death. Smokeless tobacco causes cancer of the mouth and can lead to nicotine addiction. If you use tobacco, make a plan to quit.

How to keep your New Year’s resolutions: Following through on your New Year’s resolutions is challenging. You are more likely to succeed if you set goals that fit your lifestyle. Creating healthy new habits takes time and energy.

Be specific . Rather than saying you want to lose weight, define exactly how much weight you want to lose. (Remember, a healthy goal is to lose one to two pounds per week.) Don’t just say you want to exercise more—make a commitment to exercise for 30 minutes, five days a week. If you need help defining a specific health goal for the new year, work with your doctor or healthcare provider to create a plan.

Be realistic . If you have not exercised in years, resolving to start training for a marathon is not realistic. If you rarely eat vegetables, rather than making a commitment to eat five servings of vegetables every day for the rest of your life, try adding one serving of a fruit or vegetable to a meal each day. Work your way up to five servings per day over the course of the year.

Track your success . If your goal is to be more active, a wearable fitness tracker can help you stay motivated. If you want to stop smoking, keep track of how much money you have saved by not buying cigarettes.

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. You don’t have to be perfect. If healthy eating is your goal, that does not mean you have to give up all of the foods you love at once. Try making one or two small changes at a time. Allowing yourself the occasional salty snack or piece of chocolate can actually help you stay on track and achieve your long-term goals.

Celebrate your milestones . Break your overall goals into smaller items, and reward yourself for each step you accomplish.

Making a healthy New Year’s resolution focused on your well-being is an important first step. You can stay on track by following these tips to become a healthier and happier you.