We’re reaching that time of year again when everyone starts to set their goals for the new year. While some of us will promise to travel more, quit our jobs, or excel in school, the wide majority of us will plan to eat healthier, get active, and shed a few unwanted pounds.
Though it is a great New Year’s resolution to make, around 80% of us fail on the journey to our goals. For many of us, the problem is that we go in too quick, too fast. Sure, it may seem like a great idea to quit the job you hate as soon as possible, but would you do it on January 1 with no forward plans and no savings? We’d hope not. The same goes for living a healthy lifestyle – if you cut out all carbs and run 10k every day in January, the likelihood is that you won’t keep it up going into February.
If you’d like to stay firmly on the bandwagon this year with a simple and manageable plan, we’ve come up with our top tips for doing so. Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need to count every calorie and workout every day of the year to feel and look good.
Buy a reusable water bottle
We all know the benefits of drinking water, but we simply don’t focus on drinking it often enough. Drinking the recommended dose of water (2 liters) each day can help to balance the body’s fluids, control the number of calories we eat, hydrate our skin, and maintain bowel function.
If you’re struggling to drink enough water, then buying a reusable water bottle is the very best thing to do. We hate lukewarm drinks, so when searching for the very best bottle on the market, we looked for a product that would keep our drinks cool for as long as possible. That’s when we found Kool8 water bottles – they’re designed to keep water cold for an impressive 24 hours.
Kool8’s strong bottles are made with stainless steel so they’re sure to last a very long time. The company also gives 10% of its profits away to underprivileged areas to help give them access to clean water. To top things off, Kool8 also appeared in GiftWit’s list of the very best water bottles.
Eat to contentment – not to bursting
While we all love our food, eating to the point where you need to lay down and have a nap for an hour isn’t good for the body. Instead of eating to create a food baby, eat to the point when you feel content and still able to go about your day.
Overeating can lead to major weight gain over time as you are creating a calorie surplus – eating more food than your body can burn. If you’re unsure whether you’re eating too much at mealtimes, look out for a few common symptoms.
Feeling tired, overly bloated, or unmotivated after meals are all signs of overeating. You may also notice yourself slowly gaining weight, struggling to get your usual daytime activities in, or simply needing more rest during the day. If you’re worried about wasting food, simply try to cook less, or order smaller meals when eating out.
Buy a pedometer
We’ve all heard of the 10,000 steps a day rule: walking enough throughout the day helps the body to burn more calories, improves digestion, and clears the mind (mental health is just as important as physical health). To help keep track of how much you’re moving on a day-to-day basis, consider buying a pedometer.
Many find that while a pedometer helps them to keep track of things like their heart rate and levels of exercise, the main incentive of wearable technology comes from the competition side of things. If you haven’t yet joined the office conversation of how many steps you’ve done this week, then now is the time.
We understand the market for wearables is currently saturated, so we’ve found this perfect list of the best pedometers available this year to help you pick one that fits with your lifestyle and your budget.
Eat enough protein
Protein helps the body to build muscle and recover faster – both of which will help massively on your journey to being the very best version of yourself. It also helps to suppress the body’s appetite, meaning you’re likely to eat less throughout the day.
Most people could benefit from increasing their protein intake to around 25% of their daily intake of food. It sounds like a lot, but using a tracking app such as MyFitnessPal makes it easy to hold yourself accountable and get used to how much protein is in everyday foods.
Eating protein with every meal is a good way to make sure you’re getting enough in on a regular basis. Try having eggs with breakfast, sandwiches or salads with a protein filling for lunch, and a good portion of meat with dinner. Low-fat options such as chicken and tuna are the best to choose if you want to lose weight, and you can also top up your intake with protein shakes or coffee.
Find a way to be accountable
It’s much easier to stay on track when you know people are watching, so finding a way to keep yourself accountable on your journey to health is a good idea. Consider finding yourself a gym partner, personal trainer, or even just setting up a social media account to make sure you’re staying true to your new plan.
Don’t be afraid to share the lows, either – everyone struggles on their way to getting fit and it’s no secret. Making sure you share your complete journey will make you feel much prouder about every milestone and you’ll be able to see how far you’ve come.
Most importantly, sharing your goals with others can make everything much more fun! You’re guaranteed to feel more motivated and less lonely along the way, making it much easier to keep going.
