The New Year is a great time to refocus on your health and wellbeing as January can provide a mental fresh start after the holidays. Losing weight, getting more active, eating better, drinking less, giving up smoking, saving money, and connecting with others; are a few ways that can help us to live a healthier and longer life.
Setting some achievable goals is a great way to get started on your wellness journey. It is often the small things we do that make the biggest difference, helping us to lead a happier, healthier life and deal with life’s challenges more effectively.
Steps to making your resolutions stick
- Set realistic goals
- Create a plan
- Find positive ways to stay motivated
- Check in on your progress, and
- Be kind to yourself if you don’t succeed first time
There are lots of local services and resources available to assist you in working towards your goals and building better habits.
Top tips and support for staying fit and well this year:
Getting active and trying a new exercise or sport: Everyone could benefit from more physical activity, so try incorporating more movement into your daily routine. Even just taking the stairs instead of using a lift, getting off the bus earlier than your usual stop to walk further, or signing up for fitness classes with friends. For lots of great ideas and local offers have a look at our Move More page.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet: Eating a varied diet and staying hydrated is an important part of staying physically and mentally well. If you are looking for support or ideas take a look at our recipes or our healthy eating pages. There is also a great NHS weight loss app which can support you with managing and recording what you are eating.
Cut back on the amount you drink: Feel healthier, lose weight and save money by picking your days to go drink-free. You can check how risky your drinking is by taking the two-minute Alcohol Test provided by our partner DrinkCoach. Track your drink-free days with the NHS Drink Free days app and learn simple and practical tips to help you control your drinking habits. If you want to talk to someone about your, or someone else’s drinking Atlantic Recovery Community service provides services for adults who need information, advice and support around alcohol or drugs use.
Give up smoking: Thousands have quit smoking, and you can too. If you smoke and want to stop, there’s free NHS tools and local support to help you quit. Stopping smoking brings multiple benefits, some immediate and others that build over time. These include having more money and more energy and being able to breathe more easily. The average smoker can save around £2,000 a year by quitting.
Budgeting or saving money: The festive season puts a strain on your finances and many people have to stretch their money over six weeks if they are paid early in December. Budgeting doesn’t mean you can’t spend money. Budgeting is just the process of working out priorities — what you would like to spend money on and what you want to avoid spending money on — within your limits. For support and advice on managing rising costs, take a look at our help with budgeting page.
Connect with others: Good relationships – with family, friends, and the broader community – are key for mental wellbeing. Good friendships make you happier and feel better about yourself, so make sure you meet regularly, spend quality time with others. Maybe an evening walk with a friend, getting a coffee or visiting the shops.
Whatever you do this year, remember these tips for keeping your New Year’s resolutions. Try something new, don’t beat yourself up, don’t give up and most of all, enjoy the process of getting to your healthier, happier self.