By By Samantha Clayton, OLY, ISSA-CPT – Vice President, Worldwide Sports Performance and Fitness
2020 has undeniably been a challenging year. Between a global pandemic disrupting life as we know it, topped with many other anxiety-inducing events U.S., I’m sure many of us are ready to push the “restart” button in 2021, and fill the new year with as much positivity and wellness as possible.
In fact, according to the third annual “Writing off the Year” survey, top resolutions were found to be exercising more, making healthier food decisions and focusing on self-care. The start of the New Year is a great time to set new fitness goals and work towards living a healthier lifestyle.
Five Resolutions to Ensure a Happier and Healthier 2021:
Prioritize Family Fitness
If we’ve learned anything this year, it’s that our family and our health are most important. Many of us spent significantly more time with our families this year. Aside from navigating school lessons from home, didn’t it feel great to have extra time with your loved ones? As we resume navigating our new normal, make sure to set aside time to continue spending with family, whether in-person or routine through video chatting. Fitness activities, indoor or outdoor, are pastimes that my family loves to do together. Whether fitness activities mean family hikes, or mini fitness challenges around the house, staying active while having fun with family is always a win-win in my book.
Try Something New
If you already have a regular fitness routine, that’s great! But incorporating a variety of activities will help you continue challenging your body. Whether it’s picking up volleyball, joining a local softball league or signing up for those aerial yoga classes you’ve been meaning to try, commit to trying a new activity this year. Essentially, you can’t elevate your fitness when you’re always doing the same thing. No matter what physical activity you’re doing, the best way to ensure you’re getting enough is to schedule your workouts into your day. With how busy we can be, exercise can easily be the first thing we forget about. Additionally, tracking your daily exercise and how long you worked out can help keep you accountable when you may not have family, friends, or a support group around to help you stay motivated.
Free your Mind: More Social, Less Media
It’s much easier to complete a training program when you have a partner who is doing it with you. In the last year, we’ve had to rely on technology, even more, to provide our workouts and keep ourselves accountable. While technology is a great tool for finding recipes, exercise routines, and motivational content, you want to make sure you’re using it to better yourself, and not fogging your brain with negative messaging. Anxiety can be a distraction to your wellness goals. Keep your mental health intact this year by taking a break from the phone and being present. Inviting a friend or family member to exercise with you will not only make you happier just by getting to spend time with them in person, but you’ll also get that one-on-one connection that is so necessary for our psyche, and our fitness results.
Adopt a Plant-Based Diet
My company recently conducted a survey of 2,000 American respondents and found that 47% have shifted towards plant-based diets this year. Plant-based foods like sweet potatoes and whole grains provide excellent carbohydrates for energy, but it’s important to ensure you also get high-quality protein to build and repair muscles—a perfect combination for a post-workout snack. Avoiding empty calories and opting for nutrient-dense foods are essential when you’re stressed and busy, and will help keep you fuller, longer. Bottom line: if you don’t pay enough attention to your eating habits, you won’t see the results you want.
Watch Your Waste
See what I did there? As a trainer yes, your physical fitness is always my priority, but now I’m talking about taking your healthy habits a step further and looking beyond yourself to start thinking more about sustainably providing nutrition to others.
The global pandemic has fueled food insecurity with potentially 132 million to be affected by malnourishment by the end of 2020. According to the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture, one-third (or 1.3 billion tons) of all food produced worldwide is either lost or wasted, further deepening the global food insecurity crisis.
Through the Nutrition for Zero Hunger campaign, , we help tackle these global challenges of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition by providing critical resources and expertise to communities around the world with the help of our network of leading nonprofit partners. In the new year, find a cause that is important to you and find ways you can give back to your communities.
The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on things you want to change or improve in your life for the next year.
Good luck on your personal journey and cheers to your wellness in 2021!
For more fitness and nutrition tips, visit www.IAmHerbalifeNutrition.com.