Simple Changes to Reach Your Goals in 2016

Tonight we will celebrate ringing in the New Year, and we will welcome 2016 with open arms. New Year’s Eve also marks the time when many people will goal plan and determine what they want to get out of the coming year.

We hear it every year; people make lofty resolutions only to forget them a couple weeks later. We recommend considering making small goals. Remember, even small changes can bring about huge results. Here are some of our favorite small changes that can make you happier and healthier in 2016:

Drink one more glass of water a day
Every cell in your body needs water to function. Ever wondered why you feel so tired at 3pm and realized you haven’t drank any water since the morning? If you want to have energy, feel happy, and even lose weight your body needs water. We recommend buying a glass water bottle that has marks on it so you can monitor how much you have drank. So, drink up! Your body will thank you.

Write a gratitude journal
There is a lot of great research on expressing gratitude and the effect it has on health and happiness. People who express gratitude or even simply journal things they are thankful for have significantly less depression and anxiety, and are happier overall. This is even true in people who have battled with or are battling depression. Get a journal for 2016 and write down 3 things you are grateful for each night before you go to bed. It could be as simple as a smile from a friend, or a sunny day.

Get up and move
If regular exercise isn’t in your life right now, start small. Get a personal fitness tracker, and start by looking at how many steps you take a day. Do you hit 10,000 steps? If not, what can you do to get there? Take the stairs, walk the parking lot, walk the mall…whatever gets you up and moving.

If exercise is a part of your life but maybe not as much as you would like, join a group class to get you motivated. Many gyms do boot camp style classes, or group work outs. Add something like that into your routine to keep you going.

Take a cooking class, or buy a new cook book
When it comes to cooking it’s easy to run out of new ideas and go back to your old routine. Adding more protein and vegetables to your diet can be as simple as trying out new recipes or learning new cooking techniques. Find a way to get out of your comfort zone and experiment, you may find you love it!

Make your bedroom a technology free zone
Getting better sleep is a great way to feel your best. We recommend removing your cell phone from your room while you sleep. You would be surprised how much having technology in your bedroom can affect sleep, even if you don’t think it does. So, shut down the TV 30 minutes before bed and choose another room to plug your phone in. These tips will help you catch some great zzzz’s.

Surround yourself with people who make you laugh
We think that the best way to feel better is to hug someone you love and to laugh. Has anyone ever felt bad after a great laugh? We don’t think so. Surround yourself with people who make you smile and laugh until your belly hurts.

Plan to do something you LOVE
Do something this year that makes you happy. Do you love to paint, read a book or do yoga? Do you love to travel? Do you want to run a marathon? Whatever that looks like for you, make a plan to do it!

Finally, if your goal for 2016 is weight loss…

Get comprehensive bloodwork run, and get a nutrition plan made for YOU
Many people will have weight loss as their main goal in 2016. If this is you, and you want to be successful, make sure you get the right people on your team. They say that having a healthy body is 30% exercise and 70% what you eat. On top of that, good nutrition advice is hard to come by! You could browse the internet and get ten completely different diets in three minutes that are all “perfect” for you.

Get a doctor on your team who can run bloodwork and can create an individualized nutrition plan based on your labs. Individualized nutrition and having your hormones in balance can make or break your weight loss goals.

Cheers to a happy, healthy 2016! Make the coming year even better than the last!