Turning the page on the new year is a chance to wipe the slate clean\u2014and to be better versions of ourselves. And when it comes to what we want to improve, goals that fall in the health and\u00a0wellness arena top all other New Year\u2019s resolutions. In fact, three of the top four resolutions in a 2018 YouGov poll were health-related: eat healthier (1), get more exercise (2) and focus on selfcare, e.g., get more sleep (4).<\/p>\n
There are three types of people who choose a goal from the health and wellness category as a New Year\u2019s resolution: the resolution newbie, the resolution master and the resolution flunkee. Let\u2019s see which category you most identify with\u2014and how focusing on the right strategy can help you get healthier in the new year.<\/p>\n
Resolution Newbie<\/strong>. Maybe this is your first time making a commitment to your health and wellness. Good for you! Did a recent event like a health scare or loss of a loved one make you\u00a0see the light? Or perhaps you want to be more active to enjoy activities with your grandchildren or to carry your own bag on the golf course. Whatever your goals are, taking that first step is a\u00a0big one so you\u2019ll want to be sure that you\u2019re prepared for the challenge. Particularly when exercising for the first time or returning to an active lifestyle after a long hiatus, it\u2019s important to have the proper information and tools to be successful. And that means tapping the healthcare\u00a0resources available to you: Clinicians like nutritionists and physical therapists can make sure that\u00a0your body is prepared to take on new challenges and work with you to a design a program that will help you achieve your goals.<\/p>\n Resolution Master<\/strong>. Perhaps you fall into a different camp: You vowed to get healthy in 2018\u00a0and you achieved it! For 2019, your resolution is to continue the work you\u2019ve begun. After all,\u00a0living a healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment; it\u2019s not something you do for a while and then revert back to your former habits. As you prepare to embrace the new year, are there any small tweaks you can make to advance your goals? Maybe you\u2019re thinking about training for and\u00a0running a half marathon, but don\u2019t know where to begin. A physical therapy evaluation is a great\u00a0place to start\u2014PTs are trained to assess your movement patterns and identify any limitations or\u00a0weaknesses. Based on that information, the PT can design a personalized exercise program to\u00a0help you safely and effectively prepare for the grueling half marathon course.<\/p>\n Resolution Flunkee<\/strong>. Let\u2019s say your plan for 2019 is to get in better shape and improve your\u00a0overall health (we support that resolution!), but this isn\u2019t your first rodeo. Your 2018 resolution\u00a0was pretty similar but it\u2019s one year later, and you\u2019re in the same place you were on New Year\u2019s Eve 2017. What stood in your way\u2014was it time? Affordable options? Access to healthy choices and activities? If any of these barriers sound familiar, then along with your resolution, you need\u00a0an action plan. Without planning ahead, you\u2019ll find yourself staring down the year 2020 with the\u00a0same goal in mind. But let\u2019s not focus only on the negative\u2014what went right last year? Maybe\u00a0you made sleep a priority, which in turn helped you to make better food choices at breakfast but\u00a0by afternoon, you found yourself choosing to energize with a soda and candy bar when all you probably needed was an apple and a 15-minute walk. Take some time to think about the\u00a0previous year\u2014good and bad\u2014and take with you what you need, and leave the rest behind.\u00a0After all, you can\u2019t plan where you\u2019re going without understanding where you\u2019ve been.<\/p>\n Which resolution type are you?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Turning the page on the new year is a chance to wipe the slate clean\u2014and to be better versions of ourselves. And when it comes to what we want to improve, goals that fall in the health and\u00a0wellness arena top …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":4382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[84,85,89,95,135,136,138,154,182,223,2,257,276,278,288,315,316,317,375],"tags":[536,935,1092,1238,1348,1427,1750,1769,2425,2430,2614,2615,2616,2857,3008,3383,3556,3858,4033],"yoast_head":"\n