>U Mom Knows Best: A Healthy New Year: 4 Keys to Staying Nourished

Thursday, January 2, 2020

A Healthy New Year: 4 Keys to Staying Nourished

Trying to start the New Year with a healthy focus?




 The New Year is always a good time to focus on making changes.  If you are looking to make changes to your health and diet, then this article has some great keys that will help you in reaching those goals. I am passionate about helping others to live a healthy life. These 4 keys to staying nourished will help you focus on your hopes of building a healthier life.


Many people make resolutions focusing on health every time a new year rolls around. Whether it is losing a few pounds or radically changing daily eating habits, the idea of making big changes seems irresistible—at first. Big, dramatic changes are bold statements of fresh starts, but a large number of those making resolutions often tire of them quickly. True changes take time. A study shows that it takes on average about 66 days for the human brain to form a new pathway for a behavioral change.
Most importantly, you need to shift your perceptions before you lace up your running shoes. The way you think of a change such as building an overall healthy lifestyle ultimately determines your success as well as your contentment with yourself and your life in general. The good news is smaller steps can lead to changes. Here are four changes in both actions and perceptions that can help you make your hopes of building a healthier life a reality.



1. Eat well as part of your healthy lifestyle.

Food is your body’s fuel, and it should do much more than simply quell hunger pangs. What you eat needs to feed every cell in your body. A balanced diet of mostly fruits and vegetables combined with smart carbohydrates and careful amounts of healthy fats is the best way to eat the nutrients your body needs to thrive. When you decide you want to change the way you eat, there are a few things to consider.
  • If you eat in restaurants, be careful of how much you ingest. Portion sizes have grown large. Eat about half of your serving, and take food home with you.
  • Cook at home. You will know exactly what goes into your dishes this way, and you will grow to appreciate your food more. If you are not accustomed to cooking, start by doing it once or twice weekly.
  • Focus your meals around fruits and vegetables and non-meat protein sources, of which there are many healthy options. For convenience, try buying vegetables already slice or chopped.
Incorporate healthy eating into your daily life rather than perceiving it as temporary. If you consider eating nutritious whole foods as a special diet rather than a lifestyle, you are less likely to maintain a nourishing plan of eating.

2. Get exercise intelligently and naturally.

Society in general today has become sedentary. Getting quality exercise does not mean you must go to a gym five days a week for intense sweat sessions. A 15- or 20-minute walk or a relaxing swim will do wonders for your body. Another good form of exercise is performing heavy outdoor gardening chores such as mowing. The main key to having a regularly active lifestyle is working movement and muscle strengthening into your daily life. Chores are a great way to do this.




3. Choose supplements wisely.

Supplements are just that—an addition to a healthy diet. Even if you do your best to eat a balanced diet, a good multivitamin ensures your body gets important nutrients. Other additions such as cocoa flavanol supplements can give your body extra benefits. Check out some of my favorite supplements for ladies who are over 50 HERE.


4. Feed your soul as well as your body.

You are more than just a physical being. For a content, joyful existence, you need to nourish your spirit also. Whether it be daily meditation, movement such as Yoga, with a focus on its ancient spiritual origins rather than as mere exercise, regular time spent in nature, or other forms of contemplation, your heart needs attention as much as your hamstrings.

Meaningful and Lasting Changes

If you want to start building a healthier life, focus first on perception changes that lead to a different lifestyle. They, in turn, create new actions. Small shifts can change the long-term trajectory. Today’s choice to eat a whole-food-based meal and walk around the block can lead to a healthier life in years to come.

20 comments:

Heather @ Raising Memories Blog said...

I like that you've included #4 on your list! It's a part we tend to forget I think!

AiringMyLaundry said...

I try to do a lot of these. I jog daily and I always work on drinking plenty of water. The eating healthy I struggle with. It's just, donuts and fries are so amazing.

Passion Piece said...

These are some great tips for the beginning of a new year! Hope to introduce some of them into my life soon! :)

Why Girls Are Weird said...

Yay, I'm doing all these things! I've been to the gym 9 of the 14 days so far this month, have been choosing good for me food, and taking in tons of water! I feel good!

Jaredamy said...

I am especially trying to take care of myself lately. Today, I enjoyed some celery juice and 3 walks.

Anne Marie said...

It's definitely tempting to clear your plate when a restaurant meal is so tasty. But it doesn't just save money to take some home; it limits calories. Great tips!

Kathy said...

These are all wonderful tips. I agree with them all as well. I think exercise and eating right is one of the most important ones.

Emily said...

I always think about how fit we would be if we still had a lot of housework and chores to do. A gym would never be necessary.

Toni said...

These are really awesome tips! Will definitely try these! Thank you!

Lisa Joy Thompson said...

These are great tips! I've realized that in order to exercise consistently, I needed to find exercises I love. And since I love being outside, I had to find good outdoor options. I now kayak every day and it's a great workout, plus it really rejuvenates me being out in nature.

Blanca said...

Great tips. I have set alarms on my smartphone to remind me when to stretch throughout the day, when to meditate, etc...it really does help to keep me focused on self-care. I haven't been doing supplements though, my hubs is always telling me to. Maybe it is time.

Scott Gombar said...

Great stuff as always. I need to get back to exercising. I will do it one day and the next day I skip it. I need to be more consistent.

Joanna said...

I have been eating healthy since the beginning of the year and I am still keeping it up. I have replaced sweet things with oranges, which are in season at the moment.

Marie at Complete Literature said...

I love everything on this list! And I had never heard of Cocoa Via. I will be looking into it. Thank you!

Nyxie said...

Number 4 is right up my street. SO often we forget about our true, inner selves while trying to build a temple around it.

rachel said...

I've been working on making lasting changes by making more food at home and watching my portions! Also by doing intermittent fasting.

Unknown said...

I need to start doing all of these things immediately! Thanks for the reminder!
-Monica

Pearl Haskins said...

These are all good ideas for the new year. I will be checking a few of these off of my list for sure.

Cynthia Nicoletti said...

I have not made a list this year just trying to improve and do things as I feel day by day :)

Krystel | Frugal Living said...

Summertime is the best time to get lean. When it’s nice outside it’s easy to naturally work out

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