It’s a good time in Sacramento, CA, to make changes that prolong your life. You can make New Year’s resolutions to do that, even if you didn’t start at the stroke of midnight. That’s because resolutions are nothing more than a goal for the coming year. Many people focus on achieving better health and building energy or losing weight. Feeling good and boosting your energy is the best place to start. That extra energy improves your physical ability to tackle other goals. You don’t have to change everything at once. You can start with one or two smaller goals.

You can resolve to lower your blood pressure, lose weight, or accomplish other health-related issues.

Identify the most important factor preventing you from becoming your healthiest and then create a goal to solve the problem. Create a plan to achieve that. If your problem is obesity, exercising regularly, healthy eating, and getting adequate sleep should be part of the plan. If you aren’t ready to tackle all those things at once, start with the one that makes the most difference. In this case, it’s making dietary changes. Opt for a diet containing more whole foods and a variety of vegetables and fruit. You can add exercise and a sleep schedule later as a healthier diet becomes a habit.

Start with smaller changes.

Not everyone is ready to tackle their biggest problems but willing to commit to smaller ones. If you want to lose weight, try mindful eating. You don’t change much, but it does make a big difference in your weight. You eat slower and focus on the taste, texture, and pleasure of each bite, chewing it thoroughly until it’s nothing but liquid. It slows food consumption, so your stomach can signal the brain it’s full sooner. You also decide with each bite whether it’s satisfying or not.

Get adequate sleep.

When you burn the candle at both ends, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Not everyone needs eight hours of sleep. Some people need more, while others need less. You need more sleep if you feel tired and dragged out the next day. Adequate sleep is good for your heart. It also helps maintain the balance of the hunger/satiety hormones. Lack of sleep causes you to produce more ghrelin, the hunger hormone.

• Frequent hydration keeps you healthy and boosts your energy. In seniors, slight dehydration can cause symptoms resembling dementia.
• Switch out soft drinks for water. If you drink two non-diet colas a day, you could lose 1.7 pounds a month or 20 pounds a year. Don’t switch to diet colas. Studies show it may increase waist circumference.
• Focusing on walking faster can also improve your fitness without much effort. You can also increase activity by parking further from the store and walking or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
• If regular exercise is your goal, schedule it at the same time each day as you would an appointment. It helps it become a habit, which is harder to change. Always check with your healthcare professional before starting a diet or exercise program.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC