5 Ways I'm Sticking to My Health Goals in the New Year

Jordan Drankoski, healthy living blogger, former professional dancer and entrepreneur shares 5 ways she plans to stick to her health goals in the New Year!

While there’s no need to wait until January 1st to start making health goals, it is the perfect time to hit the reset button and recommit to ourselves. Health is all-encompassing - it includes everything from nutrition and fitness to mental health, sleep, stress, and overall wellbeing. Therefore, my goals touch on all of these things, no matter what time of year! I know with everything going on in the world it can be hard to stay focused, but I personally feel best all-around when I’m prioritizing, honoring and celebrating my body for all the things it can do, and treating it as well as I possibly can. Here’s how I plan to do so as we move into a new year!

Make a meal plan - I’ve never been one to meal prep but going into the week with a solid fridge of food and somewhat of an idea of what I’m going to make with them is something that helps me stay on track with my diet. I like to loosely plan what I’m having for breakfast (usually a green smoothie!), lunch and dinner each day, and make sure I have the groceries I need on hand. If I don’t, I end up just snacking and not getting enough nutrients! Ideally, I aim to have a protein, vegetable and carb with each meal, so I’ll plan out the days I’ll have things like a chicken salad, pasta with roasted veggies, or even takeout.

Schedule workouts like I schedule meetings - I usually look forward to my workouts, but sometimes I use a lack of time as an excuse and definitely don’t always have the motivation. If I schedule my workouts in at the start of each week (I usually do this on Sunday evenings!), I have to make time for them and in a way that works with everything else I have going on. I like to do a mix of live classes on Zoom (the pre-paid ones make it harder to back out!) and my own workouts just at home. I know that if they’re in my calendar and I’ve blocked out that time, they’re much more likely to happen. I also keep in mind when I’m most productive with work, which is in the mornings, so I’ll use my lunch break as a time to break and get some movement in!

Set an alarm to take my daily supplements - It sounds simple but taking our vitamins can be so easy to forget since we’re all busy! I love having my Nurish by Nature Made® personalized vitamin packets on hand because they’re incredibly convenient and include everything I need right in one. That’s half the battle! But the other half is remembering to take them every single day, so I’ll set a recurring alarm for the same time each morning after I’ve eaten my breakfast and brushed my teeth. It’s almost like taking them marks the end of my morning routine, and the start of my workday, if that makes sense! It all just becomes a habit after a while.

Stick to a sleep schedule - I find I’m at my best all-around when I get 8 hours of sleep each night. That means going to bed at around 10:30pm and waking up around 6:30am, so that I can enjoy my coffee and walk my dog before getting the workday started. Something I want to be better about is shutting off my phone by 9:30pm so that I have a solid hour of no-screen time and no blue light, otherwise it makes it harder for me to fall asleep. My optimal night routine is reading with lavender essential oils in my diffuser, snuggling with my pup, then putting on my eye mask and white noise maker.

Prioritize daily self-care - Mental health is just as important as physical health, and when I’m stressed, I find that everything else starts to break down. Taking even just 15 minutes each day to practice self-care makes all the difference! Some days that looks like a walk around the block, an Epsom salt bath, baking a new recipe, doing a face mask, or just sitting on the couch watching a movie. It all counts as long as it helps keep me grounded and calm my mind! I also like to keep a gratitude journal, so each day I’ll jot down three things I’m grateful for. It helps put things in perspective and allows me to look at any challenges with a bigger-picture-lens!

One other great way to stick to goals is to have a check-in once per month with yourself! I like to have a reminder in my planner or phone that forces me to reflect on what has or hasn’t been working. But all in all, it’s most important to just find what works best for you, we are all different!

-------

This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice or intended as a recommendation of any specific products. Consult your health care provider for more information.