positive health goals to take into the new year

No matter what your nutrition / fitness / health related goals are this year, here are some tips that can help you stay on the right path to achieve them.

1. engage in a form of physical activity that energizes you.

   • when we enjoy exercise, it no longer feels like something we have to / need to do and rather something we WANT to do. this will help you stay consistent, and consistency over time brings the best results.

2. stop waiting to feel motivated

   • I’ve said it once and ill say it a million more times — motivation follows action. Motivation is fleeting and neither you nor me will feel motivated to chase our goals every single day but continuing to show up for ourselves - even on the days we really don’t want to - brings us closer to the goal

3. add in more micronutrients

   • protein seems to have been all of the hype this year - and yes protein is extremely important in many ways - but do not forget that we also need micronutrients - vitamins, minerals, and i am not taking about supplements.. micronutrients aid in healthy development, prevention of disease, strengthened immunity, and more. the best way to get your micronutrients is through our whole foods- think fruits, veggies, nuts, meats.

4. practice mindfulness with eating

   • I get it - life is busy and between all the tasks and work and hecticness it can be difficult to even sit down for a meal, even more to sit down and enjoy it. but taking the time to slow down when eating, chew your food throughly and being present can help the digestive system and prevent over eating.

5. eat more plant based food sources

   • So many benefits to eating more plants - plant based protein sources are phenomenal to add in to meals to up the nutrient quality, especially fiber!!

6. manage your stress and sleep

   • stress in excess can cause lots of problems - including issues with digestion. an increase in cortisol can also cause blood sugars to go higher which can put us in a catabolic state decreasing the rate of muscle growth. getting adequate sleep ( 7 - 9 hr ) can help us manage stress, recover from tough workouts, and more.

7. be patient

   • good change takes time and results do not happen over night. no one is perfect, everyone occasionally overeats or skips a workout - its part of being human. do not beat yourself up or get discouraged. finding a routine and habits that work for your lifestyle is SO important in the long term. ( for help with finding this, click here )