To Your Health
Toxin Free
While you may not be able to fully control the toxins you come in contact with in the outside world, you can control what you bring into your home. Eschew the chemicals from your food, personal care products and cleaners, suggests Guberti. "We live in a toxic world and need to understand that toxins affect our health including endocrine, hormonal and reproductive systems," she says. "'Garbage in' usually equates to inflammation and health issues." Add more organic foods to your diet and avoid GMOs and pesticides, she suggests. Also, start each day with warm, purified water and lemon, which aids with cleansing, digestion and elimination. Besides being great for your overall health, it helps with weight loss and skin health as well, she says.
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Hydration Station
According to Guberti, so many of us are dehydrated without realizing it, which leads to lack of energy and frequent headaches. Keep a water bottle on your desk at work or in a spot where you'll look to it often. Each time you see it, take a big swig. Aim for half your bodyweight in ounces each day and make it a measurable goal, calculated by the number of times you refill it throughout the day. If the thought of keeping track of one more thing is making your head spin, look into the Trago—the first"smart" water bottle that connects to your phone and tracks the amount of water you're consuming each day.
10 Minutes a Day
With any healthy lifestyle, exercise is a must. But keep in mind that it doesn't have to involve rigorous workouts each day. In fact, research has shown that 10-minute workouts can be just as effective as logging in hours at the gym, especially for cardiovascular health. Plus, it will do wonders for your mental health too, notes Guberti. "Ten-minute workouts are just enough to get your body and mindset on the right path. Staying committed to your healthy lifestyle will always involve a positive mindset and exercise is the perfect catalyst," she says.
Team Up
Embarking on your healthiest year yet may require some extra support. For that reason, find a buddy who wants to make these changes with you—whether it be your spouse, your kids or a friend. "We're better in pairs," says Christie Cash, co-founder and chief ambassador of BikiniBOD. "Choose your buddy wisely and make sure that they are like-minded and have an equal, or preferably, greater drive than yourself." If your buddy requires a lot of convincing to join you, it's likely not the best fit. If you're having trouble pairing up, find a Facebook group that can give you motivation.
Set Reminders
Keeping yourself on-track may require some in-advance preparation by the person who knows your weaknesses the best: You. Set alarm reminders on your phone to go off throughout the year, offering encouragement or tips. For example, when you know you're tempted to reach for sugar as a pick-me-up around 4 p.m., set an alarm with healthy snack suggestions, suggests Cash. Or if you have a tendency to skip meals, use reminders for that as well. Skipping meals, especially breakfast, isa big no-no. "When you skip meals you tend to make up for those calories—and then some—later in the day when you are ravenous," says Clow.
Sneak in Veggies
According to a recent report, only one in 10 Americans is getting his full allotment of veggies and fruits each day. To be part of the in-crowd that's getting four to five daily servings, find ways to sneak them in, suggests Cash. Since vegetables can be especially tough to get jazzed about (even she doesn't love the taste), she starts each morning by putting a cup of spinach into her raspberry smoothie along with some vanilla protein powder, water and ice. Spinach is one of the most nutrient-dense greens and its flavor is pretty innocuous when blended, so it makes for a great choice as a veggie serving that doesn't require too much willpower to eat.
