New year’s resolutions are great…ish.
Creating a goal to work toward? YES, terrific idea.
Not having a way to track your progress toward that goal? Let’s change that.
The past few years have made health goals extra challenging to achieve. Sickness, lockdowns, stress… While we continue to prioritize our wellness, it can be hard to find ways to actually stay healthy.
In honor of the start of 2022, here are some of our favorite new year’s resolutions to support your health and wellness PLUS ways to track your efforts.
Resolution #1: I will incorporate more movement into my daily routine.
Instead of pledging to exercise more, how about making a goal to increase your daily movement levels? Exercise is an important health aspect, but it can actually be more beneficial to be active every single day, rather than completing a short, structured workout just a few days a week. Infuse movement into your everyday activities for better cardiovascular health, more energy, and improved sleep.
How to track it: Check out our top recommendations for wearables here. Your daily step count is an important indicator of your activity levels. Choose a wearable that offers movement reminders every hour and provides long-term data on your activity. If you’re completing an activity that your fitness tracker doesn’t register well, the Walker Tracker activity converter can help you convert that activity to an accurate step count.
Resolution #2: I will get outside more.
Spending time outside provides an almost immediate boost to your mental health. Did you know that it can also improve your physical health? A few of the health perks include—
- Higher levels of Vitamin D to fight osteoporosis, cancer, and heart attacks
- Decreased chance of diabetes and cardiovascular mortality
- Decreased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure
- Increased white blood cell count boosts your immune system
How to track it: Set a goal of how many hours you want to spend outside this year, and print off a grid to keep track on the fridge, or choose from a variety of tracking coloring sheets you can find online. Color in a spot for every hour spent outside. Although it’s aimed at families with young children, the 1,000 Hour Challenge was created to encourage people to spend (you guessed it) 1,000 hours outside every year. It offers several options for a tracking sheet as well as an app.
Resolution #3: I will practice gratitude.
How to track it: Create a gratitude journal that you use daily. Keep it somewhere handy— we recommend storing it near your bed so you can write in it before you go to sleep. Take just a few minutes to write down things you’re thankful for, including positives that happened throughout the day, relationships, and things you have.
Resolution #4: Get better sleep
Better sleep means better health. You’ve known that since childhood. But did you know just how much of an impact sleep has on your wellness? The National Institute of Health has specified a number of benefits that restful sleep provides.
- Better responses from vaccinations
- Decreased risk of obesity and heart disease
- Quicker reflexes and better focus
- Better productivity
How to track it: Most fitness wearables provide sleep data these days, so if you have a fitness tracker, you probably have access to your sleep data. We’ve shared our top recommendations here. Use this data to study when you get your best sleep, and plan bedtime around that information. Keep notes about things that negatively impact your sleep, including activities, foods and drinks, and other stimulants, so you can recognize what sleep hindrances need to be removed.
Resolution #5: I will drink more water.
Your body functions best with a steady intake of water. Harvard Health shares that water –
- carries oxygen and nutrients to your cells
- aids in better digestion
- flushes bacteria from your bladder
- regulates your heartbeat
- protects organs, tissues, and joints
If you’re not a big water drinker, you can find ways to make it happen. Begin by swapping out just one sugary drink a day. Add flavor to your water to make it more appealing. Invest in a cup or bottle that you’re excited to use. It’s all about creating the motivation!
How to track it: One option is to see if your fitness tracker has a water tracking app (many do). Just add this to the home screen and record every time you drink another eight ounces. If you prefer a less tech-dependent option, just count the number of times you fill your water bottle every day. We’ve even seen someone who bought three 25-ounce Camelbak water bottles and filled them at the start of each day. By finishing all three before bed, they had met the 64-ounce recommendation.
Take control of your health this year by creating New Year’s Resolutions around wellness and tracking your results so you can learn the best ways to shape your habits.