It’s that time of the year again. The beginning of a new year means packed gyms, trying to be healthier, more money saving, etc. But how long will all those last this time? A month? Two weeks? A few days? Don’t feel guilty. There are a lot more people in the same shoes than you think. It happens to all of us. That rush of a fresh start with a new year is only temporary. But it is also not impossible to reach your new years’ resolutions. There are ways to make it work out.

Let us share some tips to help you achieve your resolutions slowly but surely.

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This is probably the biggest mistake everyone makes when they make their new years’ resolutions. They dream big: lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks, go to Hawaii and Europe and Asia, cut out carbs and sugar, and so on. Not saying these are impossible, but if you are nowhere close to achieving these goals, they will seem impossible. But don’t give them up just yet. The trick is to start small. Build up from there. For example to lose weight, try setting goals such as working out at least 30 minutes every other day. Then move up to an hour for 4 days, then 5 days, and so on. Adjust as you go. Make these goals simple, not too easy, but achievable. That way, every time you hit your mark, you will feel good. You would tell yourself you did it, and keep going. Build and ride on that momentum. Another thing to note is to strive for improvement, not perfection. No one’s perfect, so don’t try to be. But you can be a better version of yourself. Go for it.

Here are some ideas to help you on achieving a healthier body. The first thing we would suggest is to record what you eat, either by paper or digitally. There are many apps out there now that help you easily estimate calories of a dish. You don’t need to be exact, but just have an idea. Also look for a guide matching your body description to find the right amount of calories you should be intaking. Everyone also has specific needs like gaining/losing weight, building muscle, and the like, so also take that into consideration. Jotting down how much you eat gives you an outline of how your meals look and you may or may not have to change how much or what you eat. But some people need this visual outline to actually realize how their diet looks and if it needs changing.Ways to change your diets include rethinking your liquids or going for a more plant based diet. What I mean about rethinking your liquids is to think carefully about what you're drinking. Water is fine as is. It's the juices, sodas, and alcohols that are really high in calories. These are very tricky because drinking is such an easy task. And drinking a large amount is so easy to do in a short amount of time. Try sticking with water mainly, tea is also a very good option. Teas have many various benefits, include weight loss! Vorda's White Peach Oolong Tea can help you with that.

Another thing is to find the key in moderation. If counting calories is not your thing, that’s okay. Just moderate yourself. Too much or too little of anything is usually not good. But moderation is the right amount. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Just be stern with the amount and it will lead to good results. Studies have found that people who restrict themselves harshly actually have a harder time maintaining a healthy weight compared to those who were more flexible with their diet.¹ It was because the people who were strict with their diet were unhappy, and ended with their diet backfiring. So you don’t have to give up cake or candy, you can also have cheat days. A happy you will lead to a happy and healthy body.

This tip would also help with having a healthier body. But there is more to this. Make it a goal to walk a bit more everywhere you go. No parking? Park further and walk. You might be spending more time finding parking than just walking the way. Want some Starbucks down the block? Walk instead of driving. It will be better for you and the environment. You are also saving your gas money by using less of it. Not only will you be getting your steps in, you will be building your stamina. A little goes a long way.

Another way to move more is to get a gym membership. For some, realizing that they are paying for a pass will motivate them to go. Does this work for you? If not, don’t get a gym pass. Work out at home. It is the Digital Age, there are countless fitness apps and free workout programs on the web. I am personally doing a program online and I must say I am already seeing progress! Sometimes thinking about going to the gym makes you feel lazy about having to walk/drive there and all that other process to get there. So working out at home is super convenient. You can work out any time, no one to judge you, you got your own personal space, work at your own pace, and best of all—it’s free! Start out by setting a goal to work out at least 30 minutes every other day, and then build or adjust from there.

As we get older, we begin to realize that we are not as active and social as before. We begin to feel lazy to go out and that affects our decisions to hang out with friends. Then those connections begin to fade. It’s not intentional, but keeping those connections may be more important than you think. A 2010 study made by PLoS Medicine has suggested that the lack of social bonds can damage your health as much as smoking and alcohol abuse and even more than obesity and lack of exercise. Humans are social creatures and we build as a community. It is in our nature to connect. Studies have also found a link between people who live long have strong social ties.² So it is very beneficial to your health to reconnect.

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Keeping promises also have a huge impact on your well being. How many times have you said, “Yea we should hangout soon!”, but never keep that promise? Don’t worry, we all do it. But it may be have a bigger impact than you think. What if that person was looking forward to a hangout but it never happened? They might be saddened and feel like you don’t value them. And then for yourself, it begins as a little lie. But if you keep saying it, you will become desensitized to the idea and then the feeling might move over. It might move over to some things like how you forgot someone’s birthday to I will go to the gym tomorrow. Now you would be lying to yourself. Be good and stay true to your words. If you can’t make the promise, admit it. It is better for everyone in the long run if no lies were told.

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This is one tip that a lot of people overlook. “Me time” is essential to a well being and a healthy lifestyle. You will thank yourself in the end. One way to improve is to give yourself more sleep. We are so busy nowadays that our sleep time is cut. But sleep is crucial to our health. It helps strengthen our memories and lack of sleep is linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Our body needs the rest and recovery time. You can also read more books. If you’re a reader, this is for you. Set a time every day to read, even if it is 10 minutes. It will be worth it and you will cover a lot in the end. And another option is to give yourself breaks. Just like you look forward to that break during work, you also need to give yourself a break. Schedule down times to unplug or just to relax and enjoy a snack or show. Set a favorite activities for something you need to do during the day. It shouldn’t be all about work, there must be some play also.

These are just a few tips to help you achieve your new years’ resolutions and have a better and healthier lifestyle in 2020. Sources we like to get more info from are health.com, Living Magazine, and Healthy Living. What do you think? Do you have any more tips for others? We would also like to know some more tips to try. Stay up to date with the Vorda for more talks on healthy solutions and collections. Time for a healthier year and healthier us.

1. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10336790.

2. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20100727/social-ties-can-add-years-your-life