It’s officially 2017 and the gyms are officially packed with people fulfilling their New Year’s resolutions. While I might (only occasionally!) get slightly annoyed at being pushed to the back of the class when I am actually still five minutes early, I am very happy to see people trying to be more active and healthy (yes, I do work at PAL!). I only hope that everyone can embrace these resolutions as new way of life and not try to push too hard, too fast and become burned-out by February.  

I am not a huge fan of New Year’s resolutions, but when I do set them, I make them achievable because I don’t want to set myself up for failure. I do, however, try to make active and healthy living a way of life so that I do not shock my system in January when I hit the gym! Here are some of my “New Year’s Resolutions”, which are actually resolutions I set every morning when I wake up. To me, these are lifestyle changes, not fads:

1. Workout regularly (according to how my body feels that day)- I have learned to listen to my body and only push it as far as it needs to be pushed that day. If I had a particularly hard work out on Monday and am feeling a little sore on Tuesday, I will just take a brisk walk or take that day off completely. If I am feeling a little bit “blah” one day, I will not push it as hard in the gym. I will say, however, that I do not skip a workout just because I am tired. Once I get into a workout, I get rejuvenated and actually end up sleeping better that night. It is very hard sometimes, but try and do some type of exercise instead of hitting the couch after an exhausting day at work.

2. Eat healthy foods- One of my tricks, I don’t buy unhealthy food. If I have it in my house, I am guaranteed to eat it! Unfortunately, I am not one of those people who can “graze” on a bag of chocolates throughout the month. I will eat it all in a week…guaranteed! Again, I don’t like to set myself up for failure, so I just don’t buy things that I know will cause me to ruin my diet. Now, don’t get me wrong, we all have cheat days (sometimes I have cheat hours throughout the day) and that is a-okay! Just make sure you eat healthy, don’t overindulge and balance what you eat with your exercise routine.

3. Live in the moment- This is one I really struggle with and I always have a trouble practicing mindfulness. It is one of my resolutions this year to get into yoga so that I can exercise not only my body, but my mind. I don’t want an entire year to get away from me and feel like it just slipped by… I want to feel like I lived it to the fullest!

4. Reduce stress- Stress can be just as destructive as physical ailments, so make sure to take time to practice stress reduction every day. Exercise is a great stress reducer for me!

5. Watch less TV and read more- I will not lie; the struggle is real!

6. Learn something new every day- This is helpful in so many aspects of your life and can be a great conversation starter!

7. Stop procrastinating- As Nike says, “Just do it!”

8. Learn to be happier with your life- You only have this one, so why dwell on what you don’t have and how your life could be better. It can be hard, but find joy in little things every day and don’t let problems bring you down!

9. Volunteer and give to charity- This is sure-fire way to find happiness in your life!

10. Meet new people- Meeting new people can be beneficial to your mental well-being and can also help your career. It might also help with goal 6 in learning new things!

Again, these are goals that I make every day to help me be a healthier, more well-rounded and balanced version of myself. Good luck with your New Year’s Resolutions; I hope that they also become lifestyle changes for you!