By AMY SHANKLAND
Sandwiched
Do you want to truly succeed with your New Year’s resolution to get healthy? Instead of setting unrealistic expectations for 2022, try gradually moving towards this goal by taking one baby step each month. Here’s what has worked for me:
January: Ditch the soda. This one thing alone will help you lose weight quickly for a great start.
February: Reduce your sugar. I don’t just mean with desserts and candy. I also mean reducing the sneaky sugar that’s hidden in so much of our food. Check those labels!
March: Get moving. This doesn’t require that you go to the gym at 5 a.m. every day. Start walking over your lunch hour. Park further away from stores and your workplace. Take frequent standing breaks from your desk. Make sure you’re moving for a total of at least two hours each day.
April: Reduce your processed foods. Stop visiting the drive-thru, pack your lunch, and shop more along the perimeter of the grocery store.
May: Reduce your portion sizes. Our portions have gotten way out of hand in recent decades. Start using salad plates more often and you’ll be amazed at how much less you eat. Take your time and don’t eat until you’re stuffed, just fairly full.
June: Increase your fruits and veggies. You’ve heard this one enough I’m sure! And it’s easy to do with farmers markets offering delicious choices in the summer time.
July: Drink more water. This gives you incredible benefits all around!
August: Reduce your eating window. Try to eat within a 10-hour time frame, say, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. People often shudder at the thought of intermittent fasting, but most find it’s easy to eat within this time frame. After a while, eating within an eight-hour window isn’t so bad, and you’ll be amazed at the ease of your weight loss or maintenance.
September: Eat less bad fats and more good ones. Think less full-fat dairy and more olive oil, avocadoes, etc.
October: Eat less meat. This not only helps your waistline, but your wallet! Try having seafood one evening per week and something purely vegetarian on another.
November: Only eat what you truly love this holiday season. This time only comes around once a year, so go ahead and enjoy a couple of those Oreo balls! But if you’re not a fan of the sugar cookies, don’t eat them just to be polite.
December: Keep all the previous 11 habits, but also give yourself grace. Food helps us come together and celebrate so many wonderful things in life. If you overindulge a bit this time of year, just get right back on the baby steps and you’ll be a-ok!
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We have to be healthy to take care of those we love. Work on things little by little, and a year from today, you’ll be proud of how you accomplished your New Year’s resolution!