Health and wellness have become more important as science uncovers the secrets to living a longer, more fulfilling life. As the adage states, health is wealth, and rightfully so, because, sometimes, even all of the world’s wealth cannot adequately fix poor health.
Most people get away with poor lifestyle habits and choices in their early years. However, as you age, things start to change. Your body starts to feel and show the effects of poor lifestyle choices. A few drinks might not have affected you in your early 20s. But the same amount of drinks leaves you with an incurable hangover in your early 30s. If you’ve ever been in this scenario, you’re not alone. Time catches up to everyone.
Whether you’re in your early 20s or late 40s, you must focus on your physical and mental well-being to live a longer and more fulfilling life. Most people only adopt healthier lifestyle habits after things start to go wrong. Unfortunately, this approach is incorrect because you must treat your body like a temple. Hence, you must adopt a proactive approach and focus on keeping it as healthy as possible.
Becoming healthier and fitter requires setting realistic and achievable goals. A juice cleanse isn’t enough to get you where you want. Instead, you’ll need to restructure your life to be healthier. Consider adopting some of the habits listed in this article, such as trying an at-home detox, improving your physical strength, and eating out less frequently to kickstart your health and wellness journey and live a more fulfilling life.
7 Health Goals to Set for 2023
Here are some health goals to set for 2023:
1. Breakfast is Important
You’ve probably heard people remark about how important breakfast is. They’re not wrong. It’s the most important meal of the day, and people often skip it because grabbing breakfast while rushing to work is inconvenient due to time constraints.
However, research shows eating breakfast has countless benefits, including improving concentration, boosting metabolism, and lowering cholesterol. Ensure your breakfast contains protein and whole grains so you don’t get hunger pangs before lunch. Consider waking up a little earlier to make breakfast. Alternatively, you can prepare your breakfast meal the night before to save some time.
2. Sleep is Vital
According to the National Sleep Foundation, 35 percent of Americans report sleeping less than seven hours. This figure is concerning because sleep is crucial for mental and physical well-being.
Most adults are recommended to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Not getting the recommended sleep amount can result in feeling drowsy throughout the day, resulting in lowered concentration and mental sharpness. Poor sleeping habits can also affect mood and productivity.
Furthermore, the National Sleep Foundation conducted a poll and found that inadequate sleep causes people to be less productive at work and skip the gym. In addition, it also negatively affects relationships with friends and family members.
3. Increase Your Physical Strength
Adding lean muscle to your body is always a good idea. Physical strength matters, but most people don’t understand how it matters. Physical strength is necessary for functional activities. For instance, let’s assume you recently bought furniture to redecorate your home. You could have a professional delivery company bring it to your doorstep. However, you’ll still need to lift the furniture and move it around a little as you decide where to place it in your home.
This example is just one instance where physical strength matters for functional purposes. Regardless, you’ll still want to increase your physical strength. Improving your strength also has other benefits, such as reducing injury risk and helping you maintain a healthy body weight. You don’t necessarily need to hit the gym and pump iron regularly to increase your strength. Bodyweight and calisthenic exercises can aid strength development.
4. Eat a Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is crucial for your health goals. Understandably, you might dislike certain foods, such as leafy greens. However, your body needs such foods to function properly. Ensure your diet has a mix of protein, carbs, and vegetables. In addition, refrain from eating processed foods because they usually contain high amounts of sodium, sugar, salt, and preservatives.
5. Walk Your Steps
Counting your steps has never been easier. You don’t need a pedometer because the wonderful device sitting idly in your pocket, a smartphone, has an accurate, built-in pedometer that measures your steps.
Today’s society has become so car-centric that most people barely walk. The only steps they get into their daily schedule are walking from their home to their driveway, where their car is parked, or from their office to the parking lot to get in the car.
Walking does more than simply trimming your waistline. It’s an effective way to get healthier. Research shows that walking for only thirty minutes daily can lower the risk of early death by nearly 17 percent. In addition, getting your steps in also improves your cardiovascular health, strengthens your lungs, bones, and muscles, gives you more energy, and improves concentration.
6. Consider Taking a Prolonged Alcohol Break
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying alcohol in moderation. Unfortunately, most people overdo it. A few weekly wine glasses or beers can positively affect your well-being. However, most people struggle to regulate their alcohol intake. Research shows that over 15 million Americans struggle with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), and less than 10 percent seek treatment for their affliction.
Consider detoxing by taking an alcohol break. Stepping away from alcohol consumption for a prolonged period allows you to evaluate if you have an unhealthy relationship with it. Moreover, it’ll help you feel better because drinking alcohol can impact your working memory, accelerate the body’s natural aging process, and affect sleeping patterns.
7. Eat Out Less Frequently
If you’re a gastronome, you might enjoy eating out frequently. After all, who can deny the experience of tasting different flavors and cuisines at their favorite restaurants? However, eating out at these restaurants isn’t always the healthiest choice. Grabbing a quick takeout might sound appealing after a long day’s work, but such decisions impact your bank account and health.
While most restaurants today disclose the nutritional value of their meals, the reality is that cooking the same meals at home usually means fewer calories, lower sodium, etc. In addition, you’ll have more control over the quality of ingredients used when cooking these same dishes at home, meaning you can make healthier and more filling meals.
Conclusion
While 2023 is coming to an end, there are still a few months left in the year, enough for you to make a noticeable transformation if you adopt healthier practices. Consider utilizing these last few months to kickstart your health and wellness journey. Adopting the health goals mentioned in this article will ensure you enter 2024 fitter and healthier. Moreover, you’ll already have built up these healthy habits, allowing you to continue them into the next year more easily.
