5 Habits to Bring into the New Year
January brings us the opportunity to start something new or to renew something that has perhaps fallen by the side.
3 in 10 Americans made a resolution in 2024. 62% of those making resolutions feel pressured to do so. 79% of New Year’s goals involve improving health. Only around 9% of people successfully keep their New Year’s resolutions, with many people abandoning their goals within the first week, and a significant portion giving up by the end of January.
What if you tried something different this year, instead of making a resolution without a plan, you set SMART goals? What if you consistently practiced habits that would eventually lead to you accomplishing your goals? What if you treated each day as a new opportunity to work toward your goals and if you failed one day, you got up the next day and tried again? What if you had a coach supporting you on your journey? What if you actually enjoyed the process?
I want to challenge you to set 2 goals for the year:
One is a habit that you are already practicing that you would like to carry on through the next 12 months so that it is a non-negotiable lifestyle by the end of 2025.
The second is a habit that you would like to practice. Perhaps it is something you have tried or something that you have just begun to practice or perhaps it is something you would like to incorporate into your life.
With 2 goals and a habit that goes with each of them, you will have 2 new healthy lifestyle habits 12 months from now and you will be moving consistently towards being the best version of you!
Here are a few healthy habits to consider as you make your 2 goals.
1.Nourish your body with whole foods.
There is plenty of research that discusses why eating food that is less processed is better for your body. You will consume higher quality nutrients and you will have more control over the ingredients and the preparation. If this is a new habit you are considering, start with one meal or snack a day. You do not need to go all in, all or nothing, you can work your way into a habit one step at a time and set yourself up for success.
Here is a website with recipes to help you turn whole foods into delicious meals and snacks:
Healthy Steps Nutrition Recipes
2. Aim to drink 60-80 ounces of water per day.
Our muscles are made of 60+ percent water. We need water to help our joints move well and our organs to function at their best. If you do not already drink at least 60 oz water per day, figure out how many ounces you do drink and add 10 ounces to that every week until you reach the 60-80 ounce goal.
3. Rest when your body needs it.
Your recovery day is when your muscles do their rebuilding. If you have strength and performance goals, your recovery is key to meeting those goals. Fueling well with nutrition, staying hydrated, mobility work and sleep are the components of your life that will help you move forward in your fitness goals.
If you do not know the best way to listen to your body’s signals to rest, try taking 1 day away from the intense workouts per week and see how that feels in your weekly rhythm.
4. Find an exercise that you enjoy.
You will only truly be consistent with an exercise/activity that you enjoy. Perhaps it is not the exercise itself that you enjoy but the people you do it with. If you do not enjoy it in some way, you will eventually find a reason to stop doing it. There is no one best exercise for everyone, rather, consistency in exercise is best. Ask yourself why you do the exercise you are doing? Write this down so that when motivation lags, you will still have a reason to put on your shoes and go do it.
5. Listen to music, podcasts and audiobooks that uplift you.
Your mental growth and refreshment is just as important if not more so than your physical growth. If you do not have any music, podcasts, or audiobooks that build you up, ask people whose opinion you respect, people who consistently have a positive outlook for recommendations.
At Fit2Live we want to help you be the best version of you! If you would like assistance with figuring out your goals, sit down with one of our coaches for a Goal Review Session (a quarterly Goal Review Session is included in your membership!) and let us help you set some goals and set up a plan to meet those goals so that you will look back a year from now and be one of the 9% that accomplished your New Year Goals.
Up Next…How to start a fitness routine in 2025
